Adieu
by Audrey Bogart
Summary: A new creature of the night has squeezed her way into the lives of Edward and Bella but her sights are on the usually shirtless, scrumptious werewolf. The love triangle just became a love...well....a square, I guess.
1. Emma

I don't particularly like how Jacob's story ended up…so this is…my version.

**Adieu - Emma**

In life, there are very few things that make sense but we never ponder to ask why they don't make sense. We don't question why it rains or why the sky is blue. We don't question simple things like that. But if some traumatic experience occurs we start questioning everything about that situation – why did this happen to me? What do I need to do in order to fix this situation? What will happen now? And if we just sit back and stop asking the big questions then the answers will come by themselves. So, Bella decided as she stood in front of a flickering violet neon sign that read 'Hello There' that she would let the answers come to her tonight.

The request had been simple enough. Edward had, in a roundabout way, asked if the human would do him a huge favor. All she had to do was travel down to Oregon and seek out an old friend of his named Emma. She wasn't given much detail about the woman except an address and a name. When Bella asked the vampire what she looked like, his answer surprised her a bit. He smiled gently and said, "Emma is one of those rare people in the world that just gives off a certain…glow. You'll know it when you see her." The juvenile inside Bella flamed with jealousy but she knew from the tone in his voice that he spoke of her like a longtime friend and not a longtime lover. So she politely took the scribbled piece of paper and made a flying trip to Oregon.

The house was easy enough to find for it stuck out like a sore thumb. The Victorian architecture screamed a gothic flair until Bella spotted the bright neon sign hanging over the balcony that announced that this house was indeed a club. The loud saxophone wailed out a fast beat jazz song and although the windows were covered with thick black drapes, Bella could tell that the club was filled to capacity tonight. She tapped on the door, not expecting anyone to answer but a pair of deep red eyes met the eager chocolate ones in an instant. The girl seemed out of place amongst the dark backdrop with her loose blonde ringlets and her virginal white dress. But her attitude was the opposite.

"No humans allowed. Piss off." Bella stuck her foot in the doorway so it wouldn't close all the way.

"I'm here to see Emma. She's supposed to be expecting me." The vampire girl smiled and widened the opening. Bella felt a little uneasy by the simper.

"I didn't know that it was her feeding period already." She waved a hand towards the inside of the club and the human set forth to find the stranger known as Emma.

A large stage protruded from the wall and housed a small jazz/blues band of sorts. Alice had mentioned to her that Emma missed her hometown of New Orleans and adopted the band as her own little groupies who followed her from town to town. Every now and then she would have to dump them off but she would always come back for them. A small bar was tucked into a corner and the bartender seemed to be one of a few humans within the confines of the house. With the exception of a few small black café tables scattered throughout the smoky room, the rest of the floor was intended for the dancers of the club. Bella sped up her pace and located a set of grand stairs that led up to the second floor. It was much more of a laid back bohemian scene with dimmed orbs of light hanging from random parts of the ceiling. Ornate rugs littered the wooden floor and various velvet couches were perched in different corners. The people on this floor were holding onto glass flutes rather than cheap shot glasses.

Bella gripped the wrought iron railing and followed its lead into the many rooms on that floor. Occasionally she would spot the overheated session of a couple giving into temptation but she would excuse herself and move on to the next doorway. She shook her head in disbelief every time. None of the rooms had doors connected to them and therefore had no privacy.

Finally, the brown eyed human spotted a narrow staircase hidden within the confines of a slightly opened hallway closet. A plain wooden door stood at the top and a soft light poured from the small crack left by someone's forgetfulness to close the door all the way. Bella took a big gulp of air and headed up towards the room. Her heart seemed to speed up and she prayed that one of crimson eyed vampires from downstairs wasn't taking up residence in the mystery room.

"Hello", she asked quietly as she opened the door. Elvis Presley could be heard from the old record player in the corner and numerous candles were lit throughout the room. Antique furniture took up the most space, their white paint chipping from years of rough love. A large bed was nestled into a corner, its soft lavender comforter shadowed by sheer white mosquito nets. A glamorous chandelier hung from the center of the room, adding to the wonderful old world charm of the bedroom. Bella secretly wondered to herself if Rhett Butler was going to burst out of the bathroom and announce his love for his Scarlett. But instead, there was a creak from a door behind her and a velvety smooth voice spoke up.

"Can I help you?" The voice was sweet like a mature wine and laced with a Southern accent that rolled off the tongue like a fine Cognac. Bella whirled around to find herself face to face with one of the most beautiful women she had ever laid eyes upon. Long hair the color of warm whiskey flowed down her back in contrast to the porcelain skin and vivid green eyes that pierced Bella's chest when she looked at her. She was incredibly tall and curvy in all the places that men like. Her small pink lips curved into a deliciously devilish smile when she caught the human off guard. She was quickly at Bella's side, her nose running up the length of her hair. "You're Edward's woman." Her Kelly green eyes turned into snake like slits. "I know why you're here and you can tell the coward that if he wants me to leave he'll have to come get me himself." She was about to turn and head back into the bathroom when she suddenly froze and stared at the door leading into the bedroom. The thin slits were now wide with surprise as the door opened and Edward Cullen filled the entryway.

"Consider it done, Emma." Bella could feel the heat emanating from the vixen's skin but she smiled coolly and moseyed her way to a rickety old rocking chair and melted into the chair's comfort, draping her legs over the arm. The rose colored fabric of long skirt slid down her pale legs and Bella shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"I'm a little insulted Edward. Sending a human to do your dirty work…" Her long lashes fluttered against the apple of her cheeks as she closed her eyes. She was obviously toying with the vampire.

"I was hoping you would come willingly of Bella was here. You two have a lot in common." Emma's eyes shot open but her anger wasn't directed at the human.

"I am _nothing_ like that weak human being!" Her voice was low and every syllable seemed to growl beneath the venom of the words. Edward sighed loudly. His patience was growing thin.

"Emma, the Volturi hunters are on your trail." Emma scoffed at the mention of the most powerful name in the vampire world. She had closed her eyes once again but her features were straining to appear relaxed and Bella caught the slight scrunch in her eyebrows at the mentioning of the Volturi. A single emerald orb opened and scanned Edward's forlorn face just as the King finished 'Little Sister'. The human thought that she would continue throwing a fit but instead, she calmly got up and rummaged through her closet for an old traveling trunk. She then asked them to wait downstairs while she packed but not before the vampire made her promise three different times that she wouldn't try to bolt out the window. She nodded solemnly and the two lovers scurried out of her room.

Outside, Bella crossed her arms and made Edward tell her exactly was the point of this whole trip was. He tucked a chunk of loose hair behind his love's ear and grinned.

"Emma can sense me miles away. The only thing that blocks it is her anger and I knew that sending a human to deliver her would just burn her buns, for lack of better words." It made sense enough. It would have to do for now because they could hear the scrape of the trunk being slid over the pavement followed by a loud thud of the trunk being tossed into the back of the truck. Emma didn't speak but instead climbed into the passenger side of the older model truck. Bella and Edward quickly followed suite with the vampire behind the wheel. Before he started the giant gasoline eating monster, he leaned over the wheel and spoke to Emma.

"It won't be that bad, Emma." She didn't even answer him with a look. A pair of cushioned buds was pushed into her ears as music blasted from an iPod.

To the naked eye, it just looked like a girl pouting from losing a tantrum. But to Bella's keen senses, she could tell that the woman sitting beside her staring out of a window now spotted with the first drops of rain wasn't pouting at all. Her heart was breaking into a million pieces and there wasn't a soul nearby that could even begin to pick up the parts.


	2. Damn

Adieu – Damn

The first week or so was a complete mess for the Cullen family. Carlisle had insisted that his longtime friend's daughter be treated like an esteemed prisoner, or so Emma liked to think. She was used to having her independence and coming and going as she pleased but with Carlisle's new set of rules she had to have a curfew, be followed by one of the male members at all times, and enroll in school. It was the last situation that she loathed so much. High school had never been her forte. Carlisle tried to sugar coat the situation as best as he could.

"How many girls do you know that can relive their high school years? For some, this would be the ultimate dream." She rolled her moss colored eyes and crossed her arms.

"Then give the dream to them..." she sighed loudly. "Have you been to high school lately? It's brutal in there!" On any other occasion he would amuse her with a small argument but this wasn't up for debate. The rest of the Cullen clan resided there during the day and she would be under the best constant supervision. Or…that's what he thought.

Her first day of school had been a breeze. The boys of her grade level had followed her around with their tongues licking the ground she had walked on and yet, she was oblivious to them. The girls; or the nice ones at least, welcomed her into various cliques and showed Emma the ropes of the school. It wasn't Emma's first rodeo however and she yawned at the discussions over the politics of the upper classmen.

Bella smiled as she picked up her lunch tray and watched the stranger find more interest in the layout of the tiles on the floor than the people around her. The human quietly moved in on a free chair at the table the Cullen's had settled in at. Emmett was the first one to notice Bella staring at the friend of the family.

"Don't stare too long…she has a problem with people staring at her." Bella scrunched her eyebrows in frustration as she turned to the large vampire.

"So what is she? She can't be a vampire…she doesn't have the red eyes or the speed, from what I've noticed." Alice and Emmett shared a look before the more masculine of the two spoke up.

"Fine…I'll explain it. Emma is what we like to call a half breed. Her father was a very well known guy among our kind and was very good friends with Carlisle. Her mother was…a witch, for lack of better words. Now usually, half breeds don't survive past child birth. The vampire gene kind of takes over and kills every living thing – including itself. There's nothing to balance it out. Now, without getting too technical, Emma's mom knew what was going to happen to her daughter so she placed a barrier spell inside Emma that would allow her to live to the ripe old age of 20. She had hoped that her daughter would learn the ways of her mother and learn how to get rid of the vampire gene, exceeding the knowledge of her own kind. Well, Emma came close but nothing seemed to be the answer. So, she's stuck with her father as a child. He goes to the Volturi for help and gives his life in exchange for someone to cure his daughter. He dies, and they decide that Emma would suit their needs better if she stayed the way she was, thus going back on their word. Emma runs away and lives with her Uncle Bailey and Aunt Sarah. Life's good for awhile. Bailey even sets up a marriage between Emma and a young, human Edward."

"And then the Spanish flu hits. Edward becomes bed ridden two days before their marriage. To make matters worse, Emma's body is losing the battle against the vampire gene and the barrier spell has long since disappeared. Carlisle comes into the picture and has a choice: save Edward or save his friend's only child. He figures that if he changes Edward then the new vampire will have enough strength to change Emma. Things go as planned. And we're left with a new biology lesson – three separate strains. One active vampire, one inactive vampire and a human strain resting in-between the two. The inactive strain keeps her alive and balances out the active one. Carlisle can explain it better than I can. He is a doctor after all." Bella took a bite out of her apple.

"Why didn't her uncle change her?" She tried to keep the jealousy over the fact that Emma was once engaged to Edward hidden.

"Bailey…had other issues to deal with at the time in Italy." The human stabbed at the salad lying in front of her. School lunches were the worst.

"So what does the Volturi want with her?" Alice spoke up this time, her ruby red lips smiling with anticipation of retelling her favorite part of her friend's story.

"Since Emma is a half breed, she has certain abilities that we don't have and vice versa. She's not immortal but she might as well be for it takes a really long time for her to age. She only has a need to feed on blood once every ten years. Any other time she eats regular food. She has fangs but they're not obvious. She doesn't have the strength or speed that we do but she can mentally travel to any given place in the present time. But despite all that, it's her magic that the Volturi want. She has these Earth given powers that can easily defeat the strongest of vampires. They want to use her as their own guinea pig." A loud crunch echoed behind them and they turned to find the voluptuous vixen biting into a luscious red apple.

"I sparkle, too. Did you tell her that as well? Or how about how the Volturi found me in the first place? If I wanted my story shared with some random human then I would personally recite it to them." A drop of juice lingered on her carnation colored lip and she slowly swiped her tongue over the sensitive skin. The level of testosterone suddenly peaked as numerous pairs of male eyes watched the half breed skip out of the cafeteria.

Emma slammed her locker door in frustration. She could feel the auras of the Volturi hunters back in Oregon. She could only imagine Jane rummaging through her belongings and making snobbish comments about the layout of the room or the cheap furniture. The half breed cringed visibly at the thought of someone else going through her things and she shook the thought from her head. He didn't deserve the energy it took to think about him. She hurriedly locked up the metal contraption and went to go meet the rest of the family outside in the parking lot.

The only thing she had insisted on during her prolonged visit was that she be allowed a couple of hours a day to wander through the forest. She claimed it gave her peace of mind to spend some time with Mother Earth. So, one of the vampires would follow her silently, keeping to the highest branches of the giant trees. They had planned on Emma never noticing their presence. But on this particular day, Emma had to stay after school and help with fashioning a layout for a local dance. Carlisle asked her to take on a few extracurricular activities so she could appear to be as normal as possible. And luckily for her, Bella was asked to do the same. It was only for an hour or two and seeing that it made little to no sense for Alice or Rosalie or even Jasper for that matter to drive back and forth, Emma volunteered to drive the doe eyed human home. Bella confirmed that it would be okay and the Cullen family left it at that. The witch wasn't completely helpless, after all.

They had spent most of the evening in silence, paying attention to the orders given by their peers and they both seemed a little too joyous when they were dismissed. Emma would try to start a casual conversation with the human but the sentences were always laced with a sour hint of sarcasm and a bitter note of contempt. Bella wondered if she had been like this her entire life, caught between two worlds that she hated and was equally hated by. But she also had to give the half breed credit. It took a particularly strong woman to stand up to everyone around her knowing that the protest could end in death. She was thrown from her own thoughts when Emma suddenly stopped in her trek from the school to the parking lot

Emma was a lot of things and was considered to have exceptional tastes in both the fashion world and pop culture. But Bella never expected her to have such divine tastes in automotives. Parked before them was a 1957 Chevy Corvette, its cherry red paint glistening underneath a cloudy sky. The black leather stretched to accommodate their bodies and the aroma hugged them in an embrace of the senses. It was…heavenly. And when Emma started up the engine, the low hum rumbled throughout their souls. The half breed turned to the human and smiled that delicious smile of hers and said, "Bella, meet my first love – Lucille."

"If she's your first love than who is the 'the one'?" Emma gripped the steering wheel and eased her foot onto the accelerator.

"That would be Casanova, my Camaro." Bella stared at her questioningly but didn't have time to ask for the wind was soon in their hair and the road was laid out for their taking.

Emma was known for taking the scenic route in life but Bella didn't imagine the term literally. She had chosen a long stretch of road that took them out of the cautious neighborhoods of Forks and into a wilderness that the human had never ventured into. It looked like somewhere she had been before but she just couldn't place the who, or what, or where. She wrote it off as a case of déjà vu.

For awhile, the ride wasn't much louder than a whisper with conversations heading towards the weather or current events. Until finally, Emma spoke up and apologized for the way she had acted when she first met the human. She admitted she had a bit of a temper on touchy subjects like humans but didn't explain the cause of it. She then offered her hand and asked Bella to clean their slate. She didn't want to be at odds with Edward with Bella caught in between them. It wasn't so much a fight that she couldn't fight she just didn't feel like causing a controversy at the moment. She grinned inwardly and continued on with their small field trip.

As the evening started to push through the skies, the half breed turned into a small gas station. The gas tank wasn't close to being empty but Bella's bladder was screaming 'full'. It was the only bathroom for a few miles and Emma didn't feel like having her interior ruined. The human scampered out of the vehicle and into the confines of the store. The other girl figured she might as well stretch while time allowed it and so she eased her body into a comfortable position against the door of Lucille. Although she had to admit, she had ulterior motives – she was hoping that her jean clad butt would polish the car a bit.

Somewhere in between the thoughts of her derrière working as a polisher and wondering if it was going to rain tomorrow, she was caught off guard by the most tantalizing vision that she had ever laid eyes upon. Walking up the wooden porch that surrounded the store was the hottest thing since the Sahara. Emma could feel her gasp get stuck in her throat as the man met her gaze and for a split second there was an amazing moment that lingered between them. It was like watching fireworks for the first time on a cool summer night. It was like the under dog team had just won the championship. It was like falling in love a million times with the same person. And those wonderful, fleeting moments are always created by two people; never one. But someone in the distance yelled and out of the corner of her eye, Emma found a football zooming right towards her face. She held her arms up and doubled over the convertible's door. The handsome stranger was by her side in a jiff and was shocked to find her clutching the football to her stomach as she was sprawled out in the driver's seat in a very un-lady like pose. He smiled graciously and held his hand out to her. She, of course, eagerly accepted it.

She was able to see him up closer than she had before and he was even more breath -taking with his face so close to her own. Dark chocolate eyes made her sweet tooth tingle. Smooth copper colored skin flushed her cheeks to a rosy tint. His body, although hidden by t-shirt, could clearly be defined by the tight cotton and it sent warmth straight down to her…belly. But despite the impeccable features and the body that seemed to be carved from a fine stone, it was something else that made her heart beat ten times faster: his smile. When the man smiled, the warmth that resided in her belly spread to the rest of body and she could feel an unfamiliar glow growing inside her heart. His hand still gripped hers and she could feel the tiny bolts of electricity being transmitted from a single touch. She hastily yanked back her appendage as he finally spoke.

"Sorry about that. My friend has terrible aim." He nodded towards a teenage boy in the background. Funny, Emma hardly noticed him. "I'm Jake. Jacob Black." _And I'm yours._ She grinned impishly at the thought.

"I'm Emma Callahan." The delicious moment was soon ruined by Bella's intrusion. She seemed to know Jacob. They shared a brief hug and Emma's senses suddenly shot into her skull. Something wasn't right about the situation and every nerve in her body was screaming at her to leave although she personally wished to stay within a lingering distance of Mr. Black. She politely made excuses for them to leave and made the ritualistic cordial goodbye. The half breed took one last longing glance at Jake in her mirror and blushed to see him staring at the reflective piece of glass as well. It didn't take any more encouragement than that for her to peel out of the parking lot.

When they were well on their way home, Bella's curiosity couldn't be contained any longer and she finally gathered the courage to speak up.

"Your last name is Callahan? So you're Irish." Without taking her eyes off the road, Emma replied, "My mother was. I have her last name. My father wanted it that way so that disappearing would be a bit easier." Bella nodded and continued with her next question.

"You have the hots for Jake, don't you?" Emma nearly swerved off the highway and she stared at the human incredulously. When she regained her wits, she finally answered.

"Bella…don't be silly. Jake's not my type. Besides, I don't date canines." The surprised expression on the girl's face was compliment enough and the trip home was spent talking about whether it was supposed to rain tomorrow or not.


	3. A Map That Marks Freedom

Adieu – A Map That Marks Freedom

That night, Emma couldn't sleep. She would toss one way and stare complacently at the wall. Then she would turn the other way and stare out into the night sky that blanketed the woods. She would tangle herself up in the expensive sheets that Alice had put on her bed and then fight them off. Sometimes she would lie on her stomach but she hated the way her chest pinched beneath her own weight and the mattress. Other times she would lie on her back but she grew restless in that position and would often snore if she fell asleep. She found entertainment in the change of the glowing red numbers from her alarm clock and from time to time she would hear a muffled whisper or she would feel Edward's presence leave the house. She knew he was going to see Bella and she desperately wanted to go outside as well.

As luck would have it that night, she heard the long and beautiful howl of a wolf. She was hopeful that it was Jacob but there was no way of telling at this point. Or was there? She sat up in her bed and slipped on a pair house shoes. They were a bit juvenile with bright polka dots splattered across the fabric but she honestly didn't care. She pulled a worn pea coat from the black trunk and laid it across her lap as she sat on the carpeted floor. It was a simple spell. All she had to do was draw out the map and utter a few short phases and soon a carbon copy of her form was lying in bed. She smelled like her and carried the same physical presence as Emma. Her body even heaved up and down as if she were in a deep sleep. But if she was touched, she would crumble into a fine powder and disappear. It wasn't much but it would buy Emma a couple of hours of freedom for the night.

She carefully slid open the window and poked her foot out onto a sturdy branch. She had to be more careful with these things than her vampire counterparts. They possessed an uncanny agility where she only had clumsiness. After a few choice words and a couple of minor slips, she hit the ground with her polka dot feet. She inhaled deeply as the smells of wet pine and new moss filled her senses. It was still fall and the air held the crispness that the season was famous for. She smiled and took off into a sprint.

While she preferred the forests of the day time, there was something mystical about the woods at night. A slight fog had settled over the foliage and Emma shivered at the thought of something lurking within it. It was childish, she knew that, but isn't that how the scary movies start- some lonely girl wandering in the fog? She would look a little lost and then right when she would write it off as the wind something would…

Another howl echoed throughout the trees and Emma had to laugh at herself. She was more than capable of defending herself against the small horrors of a forest. In fact, she even knew a few Kung fu moves if the situation called for it. She had learned a short lesson from a Shaolin monk she had met through her uncle. However, she had mouthed off to the silent man and received a swift kick to the butt because of it. She knew to keep her mouth shut from then on. She reminisced gleefully and had paid no heed to the creature lurking nearby.

It wasn't until the large wolf was right behind her that she noticed his presence. She made a mental post it to not let her guard down when she was in the middle of nature. She backed up until she hit the rough bark of a tree. The wolf was amazingly huge with a deep auburn coat. She would pen him as beautiful if she wasn't scared that he was going to rip out her jugular. He came closer and closer until she could feel his breath upon her cheek. But his teeth weren't showing and his nose was cautiously sniffing her shoulder. She quirked an inquiring eyebrow at the animal. Did she stink? Slowly, she edged her arm out to his head and managed to pat him behind the ears.

"Dare I say that I know you from somewhere?" His head jerked up and she planned out her words this time around. The opportunity was too innocent to ruin. "You're the one who has kept me up all night." The canine relaxed once more. The couple sat there for endless moments with her petting his thick coat and him staring at her intently. The fear had drifted away and had been replaced with a small curiosity and a slight admiration. But all good things like this must come to an end and it did when Emma felt the presence of Edward nearby. The wolf must have felt it too for he took off without a beat's hesitance.

He entered the small clearing with an exhausted look upon his face. Emma had known that her little dust bunny self had been found out long ago but she didn't expect Edward to be the one to come looking for her. He crossed his arms and waited for an explanation. The half breed looked up at him from underneath long lashes which usually drew most men to their knees with lust. But Edward knew her tricks and shook his head.

"You can't just leave the house and wander in the woods." Emma understood. The exasperated features were from worry. Even after all these years, he still worried about her like she was the shy, naïve girl he had once been engaged to.

"I'm well aware of that Edward. It's just…I needed a little fresh air." He knelt before her and smiled gently. The young woman before him was his oldest and dearest friend. The idea of her being captured and used for the Volturi's greed sickened him, to say the least. He would protect her with everything he had. He tucked a strand of soft hair behind her ear and brought her to her feet. She would keep doing this, he knew that. But as long as she did it carefully without bringing attention to herself, he was okay with it. A low howl was emitted from the beach and the vampire's eyes thinned into slits. He knew that he had entered upon a sweet scene of girl meets dog but he prayed that Emma's defenses weren't up and couldn't tell who the wolf really was.

Back in bed, Emma could finally sleep. She felt Edward's unnerving gaze as he lay beside her but it was something she was used to. He had become a permanent fixture in her bed once when another had left it. That night, she dreamt of the day she had met the only guy to ever steal her heart and never return it.

_

* * *

_

_New Orleans, 1955_

Decked out in the fashion of the time and barefoot, Emma hummed an old tune as she floated with the current of the secluded swamps. She wasn't completely in the back woods and she knew that her little rowboat was drifting towards the larger bodies of water. The sun had long since vanished from the sky and was replaced by ominous looking clouds that warned of a storm. But she loved this kind of weather. Every now and then she would spot the black eyes of an alligator peeking out of the water and she would smile and lay back down in the boat.

After awhile, she felt the small thud of her boat bumping wood. She quietly hoped that it was a drifting log and not one of the numerous piers that littered the bays. If it was a pier, she had drifted too far and was well on her way out to the Gulf of Mexico.

"Well my goodness, Cherie, my prayers were answered today." Emma forced an eye open and caught site of the prettiest blue eyes she had ever seen. They reminded her of a clear spring sky. His hair was long for the era and was a sandy blonde, streaked naturally from the sun. He sported a five o'clock shadow and a laborer's tan. And he had the sweetest dimples. He pulled the straw cowboy hat down a bit even though the sun was gone. "See, I prayed today that I could meet an angel, but I never thought that the good Lord would bring me one in a rowboat." Emma gulped. She was in too deep without even knowing it.

* * *

The next morning, Emma had awoken in a foul mood. She had stomped down the stairs with her ear buds plugged in and barely acknowledged a soul. She had stayed that way through most of her classes and preferred to dine alone for lunch. After school, she was sprinting across the grass and into the woods. Alice was the first to catch up with her and stayed close amongst the trees. The mood around Emma seemed to dissipate into an eerie calm but the female vampire knew that her long time friend was up to something. She kept her back to the trees and began to tread lightly on her feet. It was when she had started singing a bubbly tune from the nineties entitled 'Love Will Never Do (Without You) that Alice found a smile tickling the corners of her friend's mouth as she danced amongst the trees. Occasionally Emma would come upon a tree that had been cut into by some lovesick couple and the half breed would rub the tree as if soothing its wounds. A harmless green glow would bubble up from the wound and it would seem to the naked eye that it was a working fountain created by the gentle hands of Mother Nature. The glow would then fade away and the tree was restored to its natural splendor.

Alice had once accused Emma of being hateful for erasing the reminders of young love. The half vampire turned around sharply and voiced that a good percentage of those etchings didn't even stay together. She then claimed that Alice gave teenage love too much credit. Perhaps she was bitter with Cupid and his cruel games, or maybe she really didn't like trees being carved into. Whatever the case, the subject was soon dropped and Alice never made the mistake again.

The song was now rotating towards another, this one leaning more towards rock than pop and Emma had slowed down to a small clearing near a creek. The sky had already turned to a deep blue and the vampire quickly checked the clock. Carlisle had expected her home with Emma in tow over an hour ago. She sighed. She was going to have to ruin her friend's playful spirit with news that they had to check in for the night.

Down below, Emma was in her own world. Chanting a few short phrases, Alice watched in awe as a small orb of soft light took bloom in the witch's hands. It floated up above her head and danced slowly around her body. It instantly lit up the forest, but Emma wasn't quite done yet. A few more orbs were created until four smaller spheres circled around the larger one. Emma grinned as if she were a child watching a magical light show. She held up her hand and snapped. Amazingly, one of the orbs changed from a soft white light to a hazy purple. Another snap and an orb turned into opulent blue. And so on until red and orange orbs mingled with the rest. With a flick of her wrist, Emma silently commanded the orbs to spin around, creating a small nightclub within the forest. Laughter bubbled in her belly and she danced around and around until her brain was dizzy with happiness.

Alice's eyes moistened with unshed tears. She hated to ruin this moment for Emma but Carlisle had already sent three text messages inquiring about their whereabouts. She sighed and took a step forward, only to be flung backwards. Small shards of blue lightening dashed along the invisible force. The half breed had concocted a barrier. Alice shot up and pounded against the wall of magic. Emma turned and shrugged her shoulders with a tiny smile. She didn't want to do this to her adoptive family but it was the only way she was going to get some alone time. It was perfectly safe – Emma hadn't detected the Volturi. She waved goodbye and turned her iPod back up. Alice continued to yell at her friend until a new aura popped up into her psyche.

"Werewolf," she gasped.

If Emma hadn't been so entrapped in her own creative mind, she would've found the male presence long before he had found her. He had stumbled onto a scene not meant for him but he was awfully thankful to whatever led him to the beautiful act. Shrouded by shadows of the trees he spotted the girl dancing to her own beat with a group of unnatural orbs lighting her way. It was both fascinating and enchanting. At one point, Emma had her back turned to him and he quietly stalked towards her, making sure to avoid any loose branches or twigs. She continued to twirl until she smacked right into his chest, which he had chosen to leave uncovered for the night.

Her bright green eyes widened as they scanned over his body and her face flushed from the close proximity of their two forms. She could feel her knees grow rubbery and she tried to swallow the nervousness in a loud gulp. Two strong hands held her steady and Emma shyly bit her bottom lip. Standing before her was the very handsome and very scantily clad Jacob Black. He smiled that sexy smile and Emma knew that if she didn't leave his touch soon, she was going to burst inside.

"Are you alright?" His question was of genuine concern but the jovial amusement of catching her with her guard down was present by a small sparkle in the corner of his eye. She nodded and moved away from him, letting her colored orbs of light disappear and leaving only the soft white light. He had already seen her with them so there was no sense in hiding it. He relaxed his shoulders and propped himself up against a mossy rock underneath the light, his lavishly dark eyes following the lights. "Your work?" Again she nodded. She knew what question was coming next and she beat him to it.

"I'm not a full vampire. So there's no reason for you to kill me. If you feel differently, than I suggest you sign your name at the bottom of the list of those who are hunting me now." Her eyes went from innocently wide to thin, deadly slits daring him to come after her. The air around her was hot and Jacob was taken aback by the sudden change in the girl. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and Emma tried not to notice the tightening of his muscles. A cocky laugh escaped his lips and the half breed suddenly lost interest in his body.

"If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it by now."

"You wouldn't even be able to pin me down," she teased. This man was getting more and more interesting by the second. In a flash, he sped towards her and tackled her by her shapely waist. They tumbled to the ground but it was a move that Emma knew well and she quickly tucked her legs between them, wrapping them around his torso. She flipped them both over so that she was sitting on top of him. She giggled lazily and propped herself up on her elbows using his chest as a makeshift table. His ego would be his only fault and it would prove to be her only weapon. He smiled sarcastically and kicked her off of him, sending her towards a tree. He braced himself, waiting for the sound of splintering wood colliding with Emma's body but he heard nothing. She was standing before him, as if he had just poked her shoulder. The simper that graced her beautiful features taunted him.

"Told you so," she simply said. He pounced again and held her against a nearby tree. Her arms were held high above her head and her lean form was caught between him and nature, but her gaze was constant and her breathing was normal. He leaned towards her and was surprised when a finger poked him in the back. "This is a stick up." The body in front of him turned to sand and ran through his fingers. The werewolf whirled around to see Emma standing before him. She had used an illusion! Not only was he embarrassed that she had fooled him but she had been right – he didn't pin her. Without thinking, he pushed her towards the banks of the creek. Her body bent like a ragdoll and slid against the slick mud until her lithe form finally stopped. Jake's body went slack. She wasn't prepared for the attack or the strength he was capable of. He ran after the girl, hoping with every fiber in his body that he hadn't hurt her. As he neared the half breed, he could see the steady rhythm of her breathing but it was the only thing moving. He knelt beside her in the mud, shaking her gently.

"Emma? Emma, please be okay. I didn't mean to use my full strength. Please be okay." A porcelain arm shot up and smacked his naked chest, smearing cold mud over his copper colored skin. "Cute…real cute." Emma rolled over, mud caked within her usually perfect mane. She was laughing uncontrollably even though her outfit was ruined by the wet dirt. Smudges decorated her face and Jacob thought her the prettiest thing he had seen in a long time. He began to laugh as well and shoveled up a large amount of the wet substance. Emma held up her arms to defend herself but nothing could protect her from the mud monster. She retaliated by tossing a few globs at the man. Together, they wrestled within the dirt and laughed until their sides were splitting. The fight consisted of mud bombs being thrown back and forth. Then someone would gather as much dirt as they could and paint it on the other's body. At the end, it was hard to tell what the colors of their clean clothes had been before the mudslinging. Exhausted, they both went down with a large plop side by side. Jake's expression turned serious and he glanced over at the girl who had lost her breath during the fight.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" She turned over on her side and leaned on her elbow. Although mud covered her from head to toe, he was still able to see the brilliance of her clover colored eyes. They glittered against the mundane browns and the werewolf couldn't believe that such things could sparkle like that.

"Mr. Black, I hate to tell you this but I've been attacked much more brutally before and I remained intact." He grinned, thankful that he didn't hurt his new friend. He thought about that for a moment. He wasn't sure when he exactly began to think of her as a friend or whether or not she even felt the same way. Hell, he had only known her for a day. He covered his index finger in mud and drew it down her nose. She feigned an injury and fell back into the wet mud, sending small drops of the dirty stuff into the air. She went on in casual conversation, bringing up the topics of cotton candy and pinecones. Jacob drifted off into thought and suspected that Emma would barely notice if he had stopped listening. She was more than happy having a conversation with herself at the expense of being caught. He contemplated the night at hand. He barely knew this girl and yet, this was the most he had laughed in a long time. So what if he had only met her yesterday? Emma Callahan was a fun person to be around and he was willing to take the chance of calling her a friend for the time being.


	4. Hooking a Big Fish

Adieu – Hooking a Big Fish

* * *

Emma took a long sigh as the wolf lying beside her finally quit laughing. The moment was so pure that she almost regretted picking up her cell phone to check the time. It lit up to reveal the digital numbers of nine thirty, which wouldn't sound so late to normal teenagers but for a girl who was under strict house arrest, she was breaking parole. She sat up and stretched the top half of her body. She wasn't used to the vigorous workout she had just accomplished with Jacob Black. She smiled back at him as he laid his head on arms. She watched the taught muscles of his flat stomach stretch to accommodate his position. The half breed's insides twisted with lust and she found herself scooting up next to him.

"That was quite fun." She pulled her knees to her chest and laid her head upon them. Green eyes stayed fixated on deep onyx colored ones. Emma had just spent some of the most fun hours of her life with someone she hardly knew. Jacob smiled and nodded.

"We're going to have to do that again real soon, I think," he generally remarked. Emma's eyes sparkled with anticipation. She would definitely put him on her to do list! She giggled inwardly at her little perverted thought. The couple stood and Jake offered to take her home. He was now aware of the fact that she could take care of herself but he still wouldn't feel right letting her walk by herself. She shook her head although it was taking every fiber in body to keep her from yelling out, "YES!" Besides, she could hear the rumble of an engine that belonged to a certain Volvo and she could only guess who was behind the wheel. Emma blurted out her goodbyes and headed up towards the main road where a pair of headlights sat waiting for her.

Edward was leaning against the car when he noticed the muddy figure walking towards him. Emma was caked with the dirty substance from head to toe and yet she had the biggest smile he had ever seen on her. The vampire opened his mouth to speak but the vixen paused before him and placed a single finger upon his lips. She strutted towards the passenger side and plopped down in the seat, her grin never leaving her mouth. She had the aura of a woman who had just learned that the biggest fish in the sea had been hooked by her fishing line. The ride home, to say the least, was silent.

And the attitude never left. Emma held the simper as Carlisle lectured her well into the night. Her steps were still light as she headed up to her bedroom and she went to sleep peacefully – even with Edward placed next to her on the bed. Sometime during the night, the blood sucker shoved her shoulder to wake her up. She sleepily opened an eye and inquired as to why he was choosing to talk to her while she was trying to sleep. Well, her words weren't that polite but they conveyed the same message.

"Do you have any idea what Jacob Black is?" The words weren't venomous or laced with dislike. It was an honest question that Emma knew had stemmed from the concern of her disappearance earlier. The half breed turned over until she was facing her friend. She graced his cold cheek, an act of reassurance that she had kept for him and him only.

"Edward…I know you've wanted to protect me since…," she trailed off in thought and shook the memories away. "But Jake isn't a monster. I mean, I know what he turns into but he's horrified about hurting someone." Edward's eyes thinned into angry slits and Emma knew that she had touched a nerve with the word 'monster'. It was something people used to describe the vampire next to her but the half breed was in no mood to console her friend's self esteem.

"He hurt you." Emma's eyes shot back open. Her wounds had healed not long after Jake had inflicted them. They had been nothing more than a few scrapes and bruises but she knew that Edward would look into it more than he should. She couldn't even lie at this point. The vampire knew her like the back of his hand. Her silence was all the answer he needed and she felt his body tense up. Emma hastily went into why she had received the wounds.

"We were wrestling around, Edward. Don't look deeper into it. It was nothing." She once again traced his cheek with the back of her hand and smiled gently. The muscles in his body eased into a more relaxed position and the subject was dropped for the time being. Emma had dodged a bullet.

* * *

The next few days went very smoothly. Emma went home after school every day, escorted, of course. She stayed on her best behavior and even kept her attitude in check. She wouldn't complain when Alice and Jasper would go out or she would sense Edward leaving for the night. She would try to stay in Carlisle's good graces that week for she was hoping to take one of her extended walks that Friday. The patriarch agreed and Emma could barely contain herself that afternoon. The clock seemed to tick at impossibly slow speeds but somehow the bell rang on time. The half breed rushed out into the open air, Mother Nature hitting her all at once. The cool Canadian winds swept through her long tresses and swirled around her body in a light embrace. She continued down the small hill, breathing in the mossy air as she ran towards the edge of the forest. The grass wilted underneath her petite feet as her legs quickened their pace and the landscape around her became a watercolor of green hues as she sped down the hill. But her small feet came to a complete halt as her sight drifted along the body of Edward Cullen. With Bella by his side, he was the only other person standing in front of her doorway to an afternoon's worth of freedom.

"Let me by, Edward. Carlisle told me I could go out today." Her voice was calm but her usually emerald colored orbs were now flashing with an intense gold. Bella gasped as she watched the eyes change before her. The vampire had warned her that Emma's appearance sometimes changed, depending on her mood, but this was ethereal. The half breed brushed passed the couple and charged into the woods.

Edward was beside her in a second's notice, his hands snaking around her forearm. Emma stopped in her tracks, her hair twisting about her face like a beached Fury. Her fiery gaze stretched over the vampire's form and if it hadn't been for the slight height gap between them, then the two would have been evenly matched. Emma backed up from the man she was directing her anger towards. An invisible flame had been lit between them and it was now wild.

"Let go of my arm, Edward." They continued to lock their sights on one another until there was a loud crash from behind Emma and Bella gasped in surprise. The wood from the trees cracked and splintered into tiny shards as a shadow emerged from the forest. Standing tall behind the half breed was a giant auburn wolf, his stature tense with the familiar rage of a feral beast. His white teeth gnarled and snapped at the teenager as his muscles shook with anticipation of a fight. Edward let Emma's arm fall from his grasp and she, in turn, fell to her bottom. She scrambled to her legs and hid her face in the crook of the large canine's neck. Her tears were threatening to slip from her eyes as she realized that Carlisle had gone back on his word and had asked Edward to bring the half breed home. She eagerly wrapped her arms around the wolf's head; bringing his ear close to her lips.

"If you can understand me, please take me away from here. Anywhere but here." His eyes locked with her own for a moment before he bent his legs down low enough for the half breed to climb upon his back. He gave a low growl, warning the human and her boyfriend that there would be consequences if Emma was followed, and shot out into the confines of the forest.

They had neared the beach just as the clock on her cell phone read five thirty. The wolf let her down by a large cluster of boulders as he shrank back to his human form. Jacob Black stared at her for long moments, not sure what his next step was supposed to be. He had heard the cry from Emma's mind echo into his skull and he had rushed to her side without thinking. And now that he had removed the half breed from the situation, he wasn't quite sure what to do with her. Mascara was smeared across the apple of her cheeks and they were flushed to a rosy hue. Her hair was wild, her many layers flying around her in the wind. She held her hands close to her chest in a protective manner, something she had done since childhood and to the common eye, it looked as if she were praying. Jake inched closer to her, taking heed to the idea that she may need some time alone. Her freedom had been toyed with this evening and she could very well still be angry. However, the werewolf was blindsided when the girl flung herself into a bear hug. She held on tightly to his warm body and buried her face into his chest. He stood there stunned but eventually wrapped his arms around the shaking body. It wasn't until he felt the wet tear drops roll down his abdomen that he knew she was crying. But when he lifted her chin to look up at him, she was smiling. Emma then pulled away from the innocent embrace and kicked off her shoes, digging her little toes into the comfort of the wet sand. The smell of the Pacific cleared her lungs and she gave a small laugh of pure cheer. Jake moved up next to her and extended his arms towards the ocean.

"I couldn't think of a better place than this." Emma rolled up the edges of her dark denim jeans and let the ocean water pool around her ankles. The werewolf followed her lead. He had to admit, there was something extremely refreshing about the cool liquid swirling about his ankles. Side by side, the couple strayed up and down the length of the beach and the next few hours were spent talking about anything and everything. Jacob wanted to know about Emma's family and how she became a half breed. She, in turn, inquired about his mother and his culture. The conversation would lean into serious subjects but would always turn back towards lighter topics. At one point, Emma asked if the wolf had ever woken up naked after spending the night as a wild canine. He laughed at the movie quip, but caught the seductive glint in her eye. It was a timeless gesture that the half breed had used long before she had ever set her sights on Jake Black, and she hardly noticed when she used it. But he had noticed, and sometimes that's even more dangerous.

"So, if you're witch, why aren't you melting in the water?" Two small dimples formed when he grinned and Emma felt the hazy warmth return to her belly. It was as if someone was pouring hot wax down her stomach and it was seeping into every crevice.

"Oh, I'm melting, but it's not because of the water." Emma's hand snapped to her mouth, unable to believe that the words had just escaped her lips. Her clover colored eyes widened in shock and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She quickly regained her wits and used her magic to stop time. The waves of the Pacific paused and the birds in the sky froze amongst the clouds. It was a defense mechanism that she rarely used and had only mastered it a few years ago.

"Pardon?" Emma's mossy orbs shot up in the direction of the voice. Jacob Black was moving towards her; his mouth was forming words and his legs were working and nothing about him screamed 'frozen in time'. She chanted once again and looked around. The sea was still put in place and the air around them paused briefly. But the werewolf wasn't fazed. The half breed freaked for only a moment before letting the spell go.

"That only happens if you're wicked. And I'm not wicked at all. Now werewolves on the other hand, they melt instantly." She submerged her feet in the salty water as a sadistically sweet smiled spread across her lips. The canine sensed what she was up to and Jake held up a hand in a half assed attempt to warn the girl. She ignored it and sent a spray of H2O in his general direction. He bolted into the Pacific and scooped up his line of defense. Emma reacted with another swift kick and was taken by surprise when he began to run after her. She prodded through the shallow water and yelped out when two strong arms wrapped around her waist and picked her up in a locked hold. The witch squirmed in his grip until she was facing him, her body held high before him and his arms tucked underneath her jean clad bottom. Their eyes locked and for a moment, their worlds stood still without the help of any magic whatsoever. He released his tight grasp and Emma's torso smoothly slid down his chest like melted chocolate. The thin material of her shirt stuck to his skin, causing the wet cotton to ride up her stomach. The affect of skin to skin contact was a heat so intense that the cool Pacific Ocean couldn't even smolder it.

Emma knew this feeling for she had felt it a long time ago, only it wasn't as intense. It was the feeling of butterflies invading your stomach and although it's incredibly terrifying, it's exhilarating as well. It was the raw excitement of carnal attraction and the more subtle but equally powerful chemistry of two people who enjoyed the other's company. The feeling doesn't have a name, even though science has tried to label it for centuries, but it is a rapture more rare than an exotic diamond. And Emma wanted to swim in the feeling until her body gave out and she drowned in it.

As they wandered back towards the main road that Jake's motorcycle sat stationary by, he decided to take a small detour. He claimed he had to show Emma something special, a place reserved for his own private thoughts and qualms. The duo walked up a rocky path that snaked between the trees until they reached a rocky clearing beside a cliff. It was tucked away from the prying eyes of the highway and restrictions against the land kept people from finding it easily. The cliff seemed to be an open road leading straight into the ocean and Emma could feel the mists of the Pacific rising to greet her skin as she leaned over the edge. It was, simply put, breathtaking. The dashing brunette flew to her feet and began to scan the ground. When the werewolf inquired as to what she was doing, she stayed quiet until she finally stumbled upon what she was searching for: a fallen twig. She then knelt between two boulders and dug a small hole to hold the twig upright and when the stick was able to stand on its own, Emma began to tug at a small carnation colored ring on her left hand. When the metal band finally slid off, she looked up at Jacob and held out her hand.

"What?"

"I need something of yours…something you wouldn't mind parting with," she replied. He was about to argue with her, but the look in her eyes was so spirited that he couldn't help but do as she asked. He pulled a suede necklace from his pocket that held a stone charm with an ancient etching illustrated upon it. He handed it to her and she slipped her ring onto the suede and tied it around the stick, securing it with a tight knot.

"My father and I used to vacation in France during the spring when the lavender fields were in bloom. And there was a tree, right in the middle that we would meet at and every time we met there, we would have to say one truth to the other. Sometimes, it was a truthful answer to a question or we would just confess something. Jake, let's make this our truth rock. Every time we want the truth about something, we'll come here." Jacob crossed his arms over his chest, the action guarding him against the girl who was creeping closer and closer to him emotionally. His eyes bore deep into hers and the Kelly green orbs were looking up at him with such tenderness that he could hardly stand it.

"You talk like you're going to be around for awhile." She straightened her spine, pushing her to her full height. Emma stayed a few feet from him but her gaze was unnerving for they held a determination that the man had never seen before.

"I am," was her simple reply. A weight seemed to be lifted off his chest then and he smiled at his little wonder.


	5. Hell Hath No Fury

Adieu – Hell Hath No Fury…

_

* * *

_

_December 1956_

Emma twirled to the fast paced beat of the Cajun band playing in the backyard of her friends' home. Ethan held her steady with a firm hand placed on her hips and swung her around the gazebo floor that doubled as a dance floor. The aromas of seasoned crawfish, shrimp gumbo, and fried catfish still hung heavy in the night air and numerous bottles of various types of alcohol had been accumulated in a glass pile. And it was still early.

Emma had to cling on to the broad shoulders of the sturdy Ethan but they were both laughing so heartily that the art of balance had long been forgotten. He swiftly scooped up the tall woman in to his arms and continued to move his feet to the beat. A string of multicolored Christmas lights lit up the gazebo and could quite possibly be seen from the skies high above Louisiana. Nearby, the creaks of water pushing up against old wood could be heard, but it was lost amongst the high spirited fiddles of the Cajun band. Emma grinned from ear to ear and motioned towards Edward to dance with her. He still wasn't used to the playful lifestyles of the people of New Orleans. But he had been hiding within the crowd all night and Emma was ready to dance with her best friend. Her Spanish moss colored eyes looked up at Ethan from underneath thick eyelashes. It was an irresistible feature that only the vixen before him was capable of and even in the midst of an argument, it still made Ethan's knees weak. He followed her gaze and nodded knowingly and two-stepped Emma over to Edward's bleak corner of the gazebo.

"Edward, my dear boy, this spit fire here has been wanting to dance with you all night. And I haven't been much of gentleman by hogging all her attention. Please oblige her." He bowed his head and made his way over to the hosts of the party to strike up a jovial conversation. Edward stared at the vision standing before him. She was elegantly dressed in a white sundress with her dark curls pulled up neatly atop her head. A few wisps had managed to get free and draped along the curve of her neck. However, her cheeks were warm from the dancing and a romantic flush was playing against her skin. She was stunning and Edward quietly wondered if she would've been like that with him if he hadn't…

He didn't have time to think about it long for Emma was already pulling him into the middle of the dance floor. Her small hand was locked in his and he braced his other hand in the softness of her waist. They danced the next few songs before Ethan tapped the vampire's shoulder and asked to interject. Edward nodded politely and excused himself from the dance.

For long moments, the handsome rough neck whisked Emma through the groups of people before they edged near the steps that led them to vast acres of Southern beauty. The vibrant woman smiled as cool air hit her skin and she mentally thanked Ethan for walking her out of the gazebo. Dancing was a weakness of hers and she would have surely over exerted herself if he hadn't pulled her away. The couple walked hand in hand along a grassy path until they neared a small hill facing the water. Laughter and the echo of banjos could be heard still as Emma plopped down on the grass, careful to not let her dress bear the green stain. Ethan was beside her and he gently placed a chaste kiss on her bear shoulder. They stayed silent for a bit before the rugged man spoke up.

"Emma…we've been together for what, a while now? And I've come to realize a few things since you drifted into my life." Emma raised her finely manicured eyebrows in hopes that her beau would continue. He did. "And the greatest thing I've realized is…life was just boring without you. You came into my life like a hurricane and I can't remember the last time I wanted a storm to not end. Emma…life is better with you in it. And I want to keep it that way. Marry me, darlin'." The half breed gasped as a small diamond ring was put in front of her. She happily slid the ring on and tackled Ethan into the grass where she littered him with kisses as her answer.

_

* * *

_

_Present_

Emma fiddled with the tiny engagement ring. The silver had aged tarnish and the diamond needed to be cleaned but it was still the same piece of jewelry that Ethan had given her long ago with the promise that they would last forever. She shook her head as the wind from the Pacific rustled her hair. Ethan had never been very good with promises.

She sighed loudly as the ring was shoved back into her pocket. Emma had come to the cliff side marked for her and Jake in hopes that she could clear her head. Her brain had been racing since she had felt the presence of the man who had once stolen her heart. It was subtle, but she could hear his light whispers and the mellow Southern drawl pounding in her skull at night. The Volturi were near, she just didn't know how close Ethan had to be in order to get into her psyche. She figured that Carlisle or Edward would start interrogating her as soon as they felt it as well. Fallen brush cracked behind her and Emma's head jerked around to find Edward's human trying to tip toe by. The green eyed beauty mentally scolded herself for being too lost in her own thoughts to not sense Bella. The human copped a squat next to the mysterious woman.

"Edward's looking for you." Emma rolled her eyes knowing full well that the vampire was close by but chose to ignore the fact that he sent a human to inquire what was going on inside of her. Edward wasn't very good with female emotions. The witch picked up a smooth stone and flung it into the ocean.

"I know. And I'll try to alert him next time I take off." Emma felt bad for leaving the way she had. She skipped school and came straight to the cliff without telling any of the Cullen clan. She could only imagine the worry the vampire had felt but then again, she had been acting strange for a few days.

"It's a man isn't it?" Emma furrowed her brow and glared at the human teenager. "Only a man can leave that kind of hurt. It's a hurt that never fully heals." Emma let a breath escape her lips and she could feel the scabs of an old wound being pulled from her heart. This was not a subject she wanted to dive into and Bella sensed it. The witch shrugged and tossed another rock off of the cliff. "You…don't want to talk about this, do you?"

"No." The answer was simple and to the point. The aggravating failure of Emma's relationship wasn't a topic full of Shakespearean tragedy or romantic intrigue. It was a long, painful betrayal that always created a crater full of hurt in Emma's heart. No, it was not something she liked to talk about.

Edward's voice crept into her brain and she nodded as he quietly warned her there was trouble. Bella and Emma had to leave. She hastily picked up her things and nudged Bella towards the forest. It was wise to not tell the human what her boyfriend had warned of, but knowing the girl for the short time that she had, Emma could guess that the teenager would catch on.

"Edward chimed in…in my head, I mean. There's trouble ahead and we need to get to a safe place while he and the others take care of it. Stick close to me and don't act like we're in a hurry. Normalcy is the best solution in these situations." Bella nodded and followed Emma.

The two girls walked side by side through the forest, striking up casual conversation here and there but every now and then Bella would catch Emma's eyes flash up to the trees or squint up further along the trail like an animal tailing its prey. There was definitely danger looming in the air.

Suddenly, Emma's arm shot out in front of Bella as her stance became defensive. A defiant smile spread across the half breed's lips. Something was closing in on them – fast.

"Stay behind me and don't look them in the eye." She chanted a few short phrases and drew a symbol into the sky with her index finger. From the distance, a large figure came thundering towards them and stopped abruptly in front of Emma. An exotic looking man with a Mediterranean glow halted before them, his red eyes floating over the girls hungrily.

"Is this a barrier I sense, Emma?" He gave a small tsk and waved his finger, mockingly scolding the witch. Emma smirked and held the conversation as if she were talking to a long time friend instead of a recently acquired enemy.

"Well, Arthos, I had to keep the stench of a horrid bloodsucker like you at bay from my most delicate nature." Years of private English tutors had caught up with Emma and Bella could now see the true age of the half breed through her speech. The vampire snarled and bit at the air in front of the smart mouthed woman like a rabid animal.

"There's nothing delicate about you, half breed." The simper still played at the corners of Emma's mouth but her eyes were glaring daggers into the demon.

"Watch your tongue, Arthos, or I will have to pull it from your body and feed it to wild dogs." Bella watched Emma's fist clench. The vampire grinned evilly and took off into the forest, his speed making it impossible for the common eye to catch him. Emma rolled her neck from side to side and the human could hear the crack of her knuckles as the witch prepared for battle. "Want to see why the Volturi want me so bad?" Bella nodded as she caught sight of the blur heading towards them again. Emma stretched out her wrist, her hand hanging elegantly. With a flick of the appendage, a surge of raw power sent the vampire clear across the clearing, his muscular body breaking through several trees. And yet, the mossy eyed vixen had barely flinched. He quickly shook off the attack and headed for Emma once more. This time, a clap of thunder sounded and lightning shot down through the witch's limbs, congregating in a large ball at her fingertips. Like a monstrous whip, it shot out towards the vampire, smashing his body with bolts of electricity. Bella was so fixated by the fact that the woman in front of her was handling pure lightning that she failed to notice the large stones hovering in the air around them. The electric whip lassoed itself around the vampire and one by one, the stones were hurled at his body, the sound of bones breaking echoed through the forest with every hit. When Emma felt like she had made her point she pulled the rope of lightning towards her, Arthos' frail form dragging behind it. She jerked his chin so that he was looking at her and asked in a steady but venomous voice, "Why did you attack us?"

Arthos shook violently, reluctant to take on another attack. It was rumored that Emma's power was a sight to behold but the rumors didn't do her any justice.

"You were alone and underestimated." Emma crouched lower so that their sights were level.

"Never underestimate a woman, Arthos." She let his body fall back to the ground and the lightning dissipated. However, as soon as the lightning disappeared the ground began to shake and the roots of nearby trees twisted around the vampire's form, locking him in place. It was a security measure. Bella stood by, amazed. She didn't realize just how much power the Southern woman possessed but she now understood the Volturi's wishes to have her on their side of the game. "The roots will hold him for a bit but we need to get to a safe place. Let's go." Bella scampered after Emma and it wasn't long after that the human heard the loud male scream and the cracking of wood. Luckily for them, they were within the reaches of a small tavern nestled along the highway.

There are moments in life when you enter a room and every single set of eyes look at you and instantly determine whether you are a threat or just a body taking up space. The tavern that Emma and Bella found was one of those places. The building was old with creaking wooden floors and a musty smell of cigarettes and bad hygiene. A juke box blared loudly from a stiff corner and coincidently the music just happened to pause as Emma walked in through the door. She scanned the bar for vampires and when she couldn't find a single bloodsucker, she idly walked over to the long table separating the liquor from the bar flies. Bella was in step behind her, not sure whether this place was any safer than the woods they had left.

"Bella?" The voice of Sam Uley pulsed through the room and both girls rushed to the bar. The human gave a quick hug to the large man and turned to introduce the half breed. The man's nose swept over Emma and a look of disgust crossed his face. "We don't serve her kind." The half breed scrunched up her small nose, insulted that he thought of her as a full blooded vampire.

"Emma's cool, Sam. She's not like the rest." His eyes darkened at the mentioning of her name.

"You're THAT Emma? Jake's mentioned you more than once." A smile pinched her lips once more at the thought of Jacob Black. She shook the thought from her brain and perched her lean body atop one of the bar stools. Bella was quickly beside her. Sam's features were no longer hardened and the corners of his eyes were crinkled, hinting at a smile but not acting on it. "What's your poison?" Emma leaned over the bar, trying to catch some of the natural warmth the werewolf produced. The half breed always had a hard time when cooler weather approached. Her human self could never stay warm and alcohol always seemed to do the trick.

"Bourbon…please." Bella chimed in quickly.

"Make those two bourbons, Sam." Both Sam and Emma stared at the girl. The green eyed beauty rolled those mossy orbs and corrected the order.

"One bourbon…and she'll have a soda." Just because the half breed looked like she was seventeen didn't mean she didn't know how to maneuver in a bar. And Edward would have her hide if he found out she let the human drink. Emma swirled the smooth liquid around in her mouth letting its warmth envelope her senses. Sam had good tastes in bourbon.

"It's not my bar." Kelly green eyes shot up and found the elder werewolf studying her. How on earth did he… "It's a gift." He moved on in conversation, hitting the topic at hand. "My uncle owns it and he asks me to work the evenings sometimes. More of a hobby than a job." He ran a washcloth over a nearby glass and tossed it into the sink behind him. Emma inched off her seat and tossed Bella her cell phone. The human would be safe here and she had texted the directions of their whereabouts to Edward a few moments prior to ordering their drinks. She knocked down the rest of the bourbon and pushed the glass towards Sam with an added five dollars. He readily took the money and turned to the cash register to retrieve her change. By the time he had the last of the coins counted, Emma was already well on her way down the road.

Jacob Black knew that Emma was standing near his father's garage before he actually saw her. If there was one thing he could take away from his first impression of Emma then it was the fact that the woman commanded attention without even realizing it. She was humble in the way she dressed, choosing to wear clothing that defined her figure but didn't over accentuate it. She was classy and left certain parts of her body to the male's imagination. It was an incredibly sexy trait but Jake honestly wondered if she was even aware of just how beautiful she was. Her aura of confidence could say otherwise, but her smile was different. It read of a woman who just wanted to be unique and independent. Now whether or not a man took that as sexy, she had no control over that.

But Jake knew better. She was a breathing definition of seduction and everything about her screamed 'sex'. He watched the younger of his friends gawk and drool at the sway of her hips hugged by the denim of her jeans. He exhaled loudly, knowing full well that sooner or later her wicked spell of innocent lust would entrap him as well. There was no avoiding it with a woman like Emma. And she was completely oblivious.

He met her outside with every intention of inquiring why she was at his father's house and as she turned to meet his gaze he finally saw it. It was the look of determination and the raw power of attraction. There was a deafening buzz sounding in Jake's ears as her body turned and an immense heat roaming up his body as her hair followed the law of motion and landed gracefully on her shoulders. She took a single step towards him and reached for his wrist; pulling him in her direction. When they were just a mere inch apart, Emma closed the distance between them and placed a smoldering kiss upon his gentle lips. Her mouth toyed with his and the sweet embrace would have made the most experienced of courtesans blush. Regretfully, she pulled from the kiss, the feeling still tingling on Jake's lips. She grinned that deliciously devilish smile and said, "I could've died today, Mr. Black, and it would have been a crying shame to leave this earth without ever kissing a man like you." With that said, she walked into his garage and the roar of an engine sounded. The last physical image was of her driving off on a motorcycle. It took a few seconds for the young werewolf to realize she had just stolen his bike. But after a kiss like that, he didn't really care.


	6. A Few Blue Moons Ago

Adieu- A Few Blue Moons Ago…

* * *

Adrenaline is a funny thing. It can fuel the stupidest of notions or send sparks into an already flammable situation. Emma sped up her acceleration as the realization of what she had done had finally set it. She slowed the motorcycle down and pulled over onto the shoulder of the highway. When the kickstand was down, she crawled off the vehicle and felt a grin spread through her body. She had just planted the most heated, most wonderful kiss on a man who was too fine for his own good and she didn't regret a single thing. Her legs sprang to life and she jumped in the air as high as she could, reaching for the clouds far above her. A giant yell was blurted out followed by an eruption of sporadic giggles. When her nerves finally settled she let out a content sigh and sat back down on the motorcycle. She managed to put the fear of everything holy inside a vampire, proving that she wasn't as meek as rumored, drank her first bourbon in twenty years, and inspired lovers around the world with a single passionate kiss upon man that could melt her insides with one look. Yes, life was good. And with that thought, she revved up the engine and headed back to the Cullen house.

Edward Cullen was at odds with himself. The danger that he had mentally warned his friend about had been a lost cause; a diversion of sorts, and Bella had confirmed that fact when she called him up with excited details about Emma's fight. He figured that his friend didn't sense the danger for she was aloof about the topic, claiming that she didn't care if the Volturi found her or not. No, Edward knew her better than she let on. He had seen the fear in her eyes when he arrived at her home and he constantly watched her fingering the forlorn engagement ring that she tried to keep hidden in her pocket. Emma had to be aware that the hunters were closing in on her. He also figured that the vampire she had fought had lied about his intentions. Emma was never keen on searching out lies. It was one of Ethan's faults that she hadn't learned about until it was too late. But then again, Ethan had everyone fooled.

He stood from his perch upon a large branch as a small motorcycle drove into the driveway. It wasn't the black crotch rocket that Emma had bought awhile back for this looked pieced together. The light skip in her step and the smell of dog told Edward where she had been. He silently watched her run inside the house. Sooner or later, the hunters would find out that Carlisle was keeping her hidden and they would send for reinforcements. But perhaps there was another solution, one that had been right under their noses for quite some time. The vampire leapt from his station and walked back inside the Cullen home. He would have to talk it over with his adoptive father but Edward's plan was sounding more and more delicious by the second.

The next day, Emma skipped half of her classes so she could make the drive into Jake's part of town. She wasn't quite sure how she was going to act around the werewolf since she defied her own set of rules and kissed him. Her father was probably rolling in his grave and she could only imagine the punishment he would have waiting for her, but oh what a way to go! She eagerly checked her watch as she pulled into Billy Black's yard. She had heard through the grapevine that his yard was the perfect setting to rough house and perfect their skills. A small white pickup drove up the path and slowed to a complete stop just an inch from Emma's curvaceous form. A quiet look passed between the wolves before they headed into Billy's home, leaving Jake to the sexy smirk of a woman on a mission. He smiled back at her although his stomach was in knots. He could have been cornered by a hundred vampires and not crack a sweat but Emma had an uncanny ability to make him nervous with a single glance. He tapped the seat of the motorcycle and slid his hand down the metal, as if inspecting it for injuries.

"I came to return your vehicle." She tossed the keys at him, catching the young man off guard. They tumbled to the ground with a loud clank and he hurriedly picked them up.

"I can't help but notice that you have no way of getting back to your little impromptu foster home." The couple circled the bike, their eyes locked in a seductive brawl. Emma glanced around innocently and nodded, her fingertip barely glancing the metal as she walked by. "Well hop on…I'll take you where you need to go." _You have no idea…,_ she silently thought to herself. She was dressed well for the occasion: a long red tunic with black leggings accentuating her lean legs. The whole look was set off with a pair of knee high leather boots, complete with a staggering four inch heel. How she was able to balance on one foot while she hooked the other over the bike was beyond Jake, but he liked this look on her. She slyly hooked her arms around his muscular torso and whispered the directions in his ear.

He was a bit surprised by the location she had picked. He honestly thought it was just going to be a quick trip to the outskirts of Forks but he thought wrong, obviously. It was nearing the evening by the time they pulled up to an old Victorian house. She motioned for him to follow her inside as she unlocked the old home and flicked on a light. The house, come to find out, wasn't a house at all but a dance club. What was this woman up to?

The couple quickly walked through the numerous rooms, checking for any stragglers that may have waited for Emma's return. But she assured Jake that the only people who kept up with her here was the house band and they knew to return to New Orleans every time she left. Jake suspected that the band was an adoptive family for her but she wouldn't divulge any details. When they finally got to the set of stairs that led up to her room, Jake paused and took the lead. His senses were telling him that they weren't necessarily safe here. Emma rolled her bright eyes and pushed the door open, scanning the room for any misplaced items. When every object had been glanced over at least once, she allowed Jake to come in as well. The room was very old fashioned and classy for a wild one like Emma. She idly walked over to the French windows that led to a balcony and locked the clasp on the doors. Chanting a few short words, she waved her hand as if she was painting, and the windows began to disappear. Thirty seconds later, there was a wall. She backed up towards the door and gently nudged the wolf out of the room. When they were both out of the way, she said the same words and made the same motion with her hand over the door. A wall stood in its place as well.

"The first place they go to is the house I'm staying at. They rummage through all my things and create a discord of my room. But I found a spell that creates the illusion of empty space. This will last until I can find another safe place." She nodded her approval and began to step lightly down the stairs. Jake took a hold of her arm gently.

"How much danger are you actually in?" The way she had talked about 'them' made him uneasy. Emma shrugged.

"Not much, I suppose. If they catch me, they take me back to Italy and torture me for a bit. They can't kill me…they can't afford it. The torture isn't even all that horrible. The worst thing they do is a tactic called 'blood letting'. They let me bleed out until they know I have to feed. The torture is the actual feeding. But I've never killed a person to date, so…" She talked about it so casually that Jake had to do a double take.

The ride back to Forks was silent and unbearable. So unbearable, in fact, that Jacob turned onto a feeder road that led to their little slice of heaven on the cliff. She checked him with a questioning glance as they walked up to the rock. Emma cradled her body for warmth as the Northern winds picked up.

"What are we doing here?" Jake's dark eyes were now a molten black as he turned fiercely to look her in the face.

"Who's after you?" Emma shook her head, not wanting to be cornered by such a subject but knowing that he trusted her to tell the truth in this spot. He moved towards her, his hands gracing her forearms in an attempt to comfort her long enough to trust him with this information. She closed her emerald colored eyes, coming to a decision to tell this wonderful, warm person the truth.

"The Volturi hunters have been chasing me for decades. Sometimes they capture me and sometimes they don't. The Cullen family has been trying to protect me as a promise Carlisle made to my father. This time, though…something's off; it's different." Jacob Black left it at that and in no time at all, they were back on the road heading to Forks.

Somewhere between Emma's house and the Cullen house, she let go of her restrictions and let her wall fall. Perhaps it was the fierce warmth emanating from the werewolf's body. Or maybe it was the intoxicating scent of a real man who was going out of his way to make sure she got home safely. But Emma was hoping out loud that it was just the exhaustion of a long trip that made her rest her head on Jake's shoulder and fall asleep. Her arms went slack and relaxed around his torso five minutes into the trip back home. She wasn't surprised though, for Mr. Black had a brilliant protective nature about him that she admired from afar. It does no good to feed a man's ego like that! Emma smiled to herself as she fell into a deep sleep.

_

* * *

_

_New Orleans, 1957_

"I'm not asking for an exact date, Ethan, I just need a roundabout estimate here!" Emma shifted her weight onto right leg as she stared down the handsome Southerner. It wasn't a new argument between the two, but a nightly ritual seemed to describe it better. It never failed. Whenever Emma brought up the subject of the wedding date, her fiancé would shove it to the side or accuse her of smothering him. It wasn't that she was trying to rush the marriage but during this time in her life, funds were limited and she needed to know when she should start sticking what little extra money she had into a savings account. Ethan would turn on her then and the fight was on.

"I can't give that to you, Emma. I don't what else I can say." The half breed rolled her neck from side to side in hopes of relieving some of the tension brewing in her muscles. Was it really too much to ask of him?

"Just give me an answer here! Should I start saving now or later?" Ethan shrugged and pulled off his boots. When both shoes were comfortably free of his feet he let out an agitated sigh. He ran his hair through his dirty blond hair and kept his eyes to the floor.

"I just don't know if I can do this anymore. I think someone else can make you happier and love you better than me." It felt as if someone had just sucker punched her in the stomach. Seriously?! He did this every time he was cornered with something and Emma was quickly growing tired of the pessimistic attitude. She threw her hands into the air, praying that some divine entity would save her from the stupidity of the male psyche. Her sparkling green eyes narrowed as she looked him square in the face.

"You don't get to make the judgment of whether or not I'm happy. I love _you_. I want to spend the rest of my life with _you_. What part of that don't you understand?" He smiled gently at her and ran his rough hands through her dark locks. For now, the fight was stopped.

_

* * *

_

_Present_

Jacob ran his hand over the twitching muscles in Emma's arm. He had known awhile back that she had fallen asleep but whatever dream had entered her brain was causing her to react negatively. The muscles relaxed once again and the werewolf decided that for the time being, he could drive with one hand so that the other could comfort the woman behind him.

When they pulled up to the Cullen house, he carefully shook her arm until is loosened its grip around his form. He then hooked his arms under her legs and carried her towards the front door. He didn't even have to knock on the large door for Edward was sitting on the porch, awaiting Emma's arrival. They exchanged grips on her body and the vampire held her close to his chest as if she were dying all over again. Jake caught the quick scan of wounds and he could feel his blood boil from the distrust the vampire exuded.

"She's not hurt. She fell asleep on the way over here and I didn't feel the need to wake her. She acted like she needed the sleep." Edward nodded and politely thanked the wolf for the gracious act and then turned to head inside. For a moment, Jake was stunned that the monster hadn't accused him of more and as a gentle snow began to fall, a howl was heard in the distance. For now, he would have to leave the rude company and head off into the woods for the night.

A few blues moons ago, Emma used to miss the serenity of falling snow. The world stood in a peaceful hush as tiny snowflakes danced down from the skies and landed gracefully against the earth. She used to love to watch the winter wonderland being built and found every excuse to head outside even though there was a deathly chill hanging in the air. She would happily throw on her old pea coat and the red scarf her aunt Sarah had knitted her and spend hours in the icy precipitation. She dearly missed the stuff when she had moved to the Deep South and she always secretly hoped that the universe would shift in her favor and a blizzard would hit New Orleans. But then she learned to appreciate a good thunderstorm and snow was pushed down the list a bit.

The weather stations had warned that snow was imminent tonight and would continue well into the next day. At least, that's what she overheard on the TV as Edward carried her up to her room. She was so spoiled by the wonderful care that the vampire showed her and she would have to remember to thank him when sleep wasn't so heavy on her mind. He lovingly placed her on the bed and quietly pulled off her high heeled boots before sliding the numerous blankets over her body. When she was set for the night and laid down beside her and pushed a loose strand of hair from her face. Emma turned towards him, a feeling of sweet nostalgia hanging in the air. Edward grinned as he nodded to the window overlooking the bed.

"It's snowing outside," he whispered softly. Emma nodded and tucked the comforter up underneath her chin. "You went back out to 'Hello, There'?"

"I had to. They always rummage through my things so I thought I would beat them to it this time around. I created an illusion and made my bedroom disappear." Edward chuckled. In the many years he had known the half breed lying beside him, the thing that had always bothered her most about being hunted was the fact that her privacy was always interrupted. Clothes would come up missing or pieces of cheap costume jewelry would disappear. They held no sentimental meaning to her but it was the thought of someone's slimy paws sifting through her belongings. Her eyes wandered back to the snowy scene playing before them. "I used to love the snow." Edward's eyebrows scrunched together in a questioning manner.

"What's changed?" Emma let out a sigh, a frown threatening her small lips.

"It was snowing the day that Ethan…" She trailed off as the memories flooded her mind. The vampire made himself more comfortable on the down pillow underneath his head. A lot of things had happened to Emma during the time he had known her. They all seemed to drop into her lap at once and she took it with a grain of salt. She would keep living life to the best of her abilities and only show emotion when she was absolutely certain that no one was around to witness the display. And then there was the situation with Ethan.

"Ethan didn't make it snow that day and Ethan isn't making it snow now. Don't push the love you had for something before him away because of him. The snow deserves your love more than that rat does." A single tear trickled down her porcelain cheek and Edward quickly caught it with the pad of his thumb. "Besides…there other memories associated with snow. Do you remember the epic snowball fight of 1938?" A giggle choked out of the half breed as she snuggled up to the cold body of the man she called her friend.


	7. Light Up My Sunshine

Adieu – Light up My Sunshine

Edward watched the lovely girl fall into a deep sleep in his arms. He was supposed to have been at Bella's hours ago but he was sure she would understand the circumstances. When he had read the weather report, he knew that Emma wouldn't be her fun loving self for awhile at the reminiscence of her failed relationship and that she would need him more than Bella tonight. He gazed out the window for long minutes while he searched his memories for the horrid incident that left Emma bitter and pessimistic.

_Colorado, 1957_

The move from New Orleans to Colorado had been a mistake from the get-go. Ethan had to go up north for a job and Emma was forced to follow. For months, Edward would receive daily phone calls filled with regret that she had moved up there and she swore that as soon as they could afford it, they were moving back. Other times, she would call Edward up in tears, complaining that she didn't know what was going on with Ethan and she was afraid that he didn't love her anymore. Those fears would soon become reality.

It wasn't an obvious disappearance for Emma had been blindsided with it. But she had expected it to happen in the long run, since Ethan had disappeared once before. Somewhere in her heart, she knew the day was going to come, but it didn't make it hurt any less. She had pulled into the drive way of their small home and hurried up the steps just as the snow had begun to fall. Nothing seemed out of place, for Ethan's muddy boots were still on the entry way carpet and the mail was hanging up beside the kitchen table, just as Emma had left it. But the house held a certain gloomy affect, as if it was mourning Ethan's absence. Emma walked though the house, checking every room for some kind of muffled change, but his clothes were still hanging in the closet. So what had tipped her off? Intuition and the fact that it was pay day and the bank had no record of a deposit. Routine helped root the success of a sturdy home and Ethan wasn't one to let a routine slip. He had run. Emma stood in the middle of the living room, absorbing the realization that the love of her life had just left her until she finally let her knees give out from underneath her. She crumpled down to the wooden floor in a heap of sadness, melting into her own tears.

For awhile, no one heard from Emma. There were no phone calls or letters or cards for various holidays. Edward finally made the decision to make the drive up to Colorado and check on her. It would be a scene he wished he had never come across. The car was still parked in the drive way but the mail box was packed to its limits with an assortment of envelopes. Footprints marked the occasional neighbor stopping by but they were small and feminine. The vampire followed the trail up to the front porch, knocking only once before the door gave way and opened before him. The house was dark except for the white incandescent bulbs of the kitchen lights. A bottle of tequila and chopped up limes were sprawled across the kitchen table but it was the almost empty bottle of wine that caught Edward's attention. He drifted back towards Emma's bedroom, the stench of fresh tears hitting his nostrils and the sight he came upon made him shrink with remorse. Emma laid there, her body scrunched up in to the fetal position. She had taken a shower recently, but that meant little for even in her most sour of moods Emma would find enough strength to wash up. Her body was just a heap underneath a worn afghan, leaving the other side of the bed untouched, as if Ethan's ghost would lie beside her instead of the real thing. Edward inched towards her and called out her name. A small flinch from her shoulder was the only movement that proved that the words hadn't fallen on deaf ears. He finally made it over to the mattress and settled in next to her, not sure if she would yell at him for laying in Ethan's spot or not. She chose the latter and looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. Dark circles tarnished her usually bright features and Edward felt his heart go out to her.

Emma was a lot of things but right now, in that room, staring up at Edward with the eyes of a child who had been abandoned by someone she trusted dearly, Emma was a broken woman. Fresh tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes and Edward gathered her into his arms.

"He left, Edward. The coward just left. No goodbyes, no see you later, he just…ran." The vampire gently shushed her, smoothing down the mess on her head. She cried helplessly and without restraint into Edward's coat, screaming out her pain that festered within her. The muffled yelps came from deep within her throat and from time to time she would choke on the cries. Her nails created a permanent imprint on the fabric of Edward's clothes but it was nothing compared to the marks left on the poor girl's mind and heart. It would be a long time before she even resembled the Emma he knew and cared for. And even then, it would only be a matter of time before an even larger betrayal emerged.

_Present_

Emma watched the solemn smoke curl around her hand as the small cigar emitted an enticing aroma. The witch didn't smoke but the smooth vanilla aroma of the Black and Mild always seemed to calm her. She silently watched the tobacco burn to the plastic tip before she finally snuffed it into the sidewalk beside her. A few of the high school students who had tried to speak to her had been ignored, for when Emma was in this state of mind, there wasn't a soul nearby that could shake her out of it.

"You know those things can kill you." Emma's emerald colored eyes gazed up to the one smile in the world that could outshine the very sun. Well, maybe one person could knock her out of her stupor.

"Technically, I'm already half way to being dead." Her grin was sarcastic and dry and Jacob Black could feel his heart crack a bit at the sight of it. Emma pulled the plastic tip from the nicotine stick and pushed it into the confines of the inside pocket of her pea coat. For a flash of a second, the werewolf saw the crinkled package resting near her chest. However, when she turned towards him again and spoke, there was no stench of the tobacco on her breath. Why would a person light something like that and not smoke it?

"It calms me down. The smell of the Black and Mild mellows me out without having to actually smoke the damn thing." Her voice was tight and Jake caught the asinine sting to her words. When she faced him, he couldn't help but gasp. Dark circles were cradled underneath her eyes and her usually tinted cheeks held no color to them. Her chest heaved up and down heavily, as if it was a burden to even breathe. She looked as if every drop of energy had been sucked from her body and Jake's mind immediately darted towards Edward Cullen. Had the bastard fed on her? Emma yanked on the sleeve of his corduroy coat and used his sturdy arm as a temporary crutch.

"He didn't bite me, Mr. Black." She tried to smile a genuine smile but it took too much strength. She leaned up against the Native American man and took a small step in the direction of the parking lot. "So, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" A second wind overcame her and soft steps led to a slow walk. She winced in pain as they neared his motorcycle and he eased her down against the seat.

"I was hoping to put that truth rock to good use but if you're not up to it…" Emma grinned once more and Jacob could see a bit of color return to her skin.

"Let's see here…you and I, alone…how could I pass up a situation like that?" The attempt at flirtation was half hearted but he was glad her sense of humor was returning. She shifted her body weight until she could lift her leg over the machine into a straddling position. Jake was reluctant but Emma seemed to be returning to good health as he revved up the engine.

The ride out to the cliff was quiet except for the occasional heavy sigh emitted from the girl behind Jacob Black. Emma knew what was itching beneath the wolf's thoughts and she had to admit, the excitement was creeping through her veins. She had woken up with a physical strain inside her body that morning. It was as if someone had run her over with a semi and reversed it so it could run her over again. Her body was just wearing thin today. But the sudden rush of Jake's appearance and the anxiety over if he would ask why she kissed him the other day was giving her a natural adrenaline rush. She pulled the crinkled package of Black and Mild's from her coat pocket and studied them for a moment. She used to light the things when she needed to relax and refused to become addicted but for a long time, they were used as an outlet. She flexed her arm out behind her like a graceful ballerina and watched the package become enflamed with the soft green glow of magic until they were nothing more than ashes flying off into the wind. With a man like Jacob Black around, Emma could find other ways to relax. She buried her face into the soft fabric of his jacket and took comfort in the thought that he was here with her.

The couple made the short walk up to their secluded area with little effort. Jake was surprised to find that the woman's energy had returned and she trekked up the cliff with a resounding vigor. When they finally reached the boulders marked with their talismans, Emma plopped down on top of one of the large rocks. The waves crashed below them and every now and then, some of the mists would drift up to Emma's face and place a chaste kiss on her cheek. The cliff side was quickly becoming one of her favorite spots.

"Well, what did you want to ask?" Jacob Black smiled gently and ran a large hand through his dark mane while shaking his head.

"Ladies first…" Emma pushed herself off of the boulder and paced back and forth for a few minutes, trying to find the right words to mold her question with. Finally, she just let the words fall out of her mouth like a wild waterfall.

"What is it about Bella that has you so entrapped?" Her eyes darkened and her lips now formed an irresistible little pout that was one part seductive and one part innocent. It was a dangerous mix and Jake had to look away in order to answer the question honestly.

"She's…different. She's awkward yet beautiful. She fights for those she cares about." Emma bit her bottom lip. He was being truthful but that didn't make the sting less painful. A lock of hair fell down into her face, shadowing her features from Jacob's sight.

"She didn't fight for you." His head jerked around, wondering if what he heard was right. Emma's voice came up a little. "She told you outright…don't make her choose. It was him. It was always Edward. Why do you keep fighting a losing battle?" This time, her shoulders fell back, forcing her to stand up straight and look the werewolf straight in the eye. Her brilliant eyes sparkled with a ferocity that Jacob had seen before. She was challenging him. Bella couldn't be won over because she had already chosen a side. But Emma was still waiting for a side to choose. Jake's frame slumped over in defeat.

"I don't know."

"'I don't know' isn't good enough!" she snapped. The werewolf took a step forward, not wanting to be cornered in this subject.

"'I don't know' is all I've got!" The witch's breath caught in her throat as a gust of wind flushed through Emma's hair and the memories of Ethan replying with the same sentence decades go punched her heart. Was that just a normal remark for guys? She shook her head. No, Jake couldn't be like the rest of the assholes in the world. He couldn't be like the insensitive pricks that manipulate the situation so that they look like the victim when really it was Emma being emotionally strangled. He couldn't be…

"Why did you kiss me like that?" Emma's eyes met Jacob's dark stare. He was gazing at her with the most intense look that it threw the half breed for a loop for a split second.

"I told you before…I could've died," she stammered. Jacob shook his head.

"That wasn't a goodbye kiss. That wasn't a kiss of relief that you didn't leave the earth. So what was it?" Emma knew what he wanted to hear. He wanted to hear 'I don't know', but the half breed knew better than to fall for a simple trick like that. She regained her wits and took a deep breath, mustering up all of her courage. She was expecting this question and it was time that she put it all on the table. Emma licked her lips, tasting the sweet cherry flavor of her chap stick.

"I like you. I like the way you make me feel when I'm around you. I'm happy and I don't have a single care in the world even though I should have millions. When you're near me, my body vibrates with the anticipation of being able to touch you again. Even if it's just gracing your fingertips, I have to touch you because if I don't…then I don't feel like my day was complete. Your smile lights up the darkest of places in my mind. And that day, if I hadn't kissed you, I would've felt like I was going to explode. Even right now, my lips tingle with the want of kissing you again. The only thing keeping me from making my delicious little fantasy a reality is the fear that you don't feel a fraction of what I feel because you're chasing after a lost cause. I'm right here. I want YOU, Mr. Black. And that's exactly what that kiss told you."

The werewolf stared at the amazing woman standing before him. She had just expressed a large amount of honest emotion and the look suited her well. The wind pushed her auburn hair behind her in a fantastical wave. The outburst had caused her cheeks to flush with a bit of embarrassment and heat up from the chemistry flowing between them. Her chest was straining against the material of her tight bodice and the wolf could feel his own heat building up inside him. The final straw was broken when Emma bit her bottom lip and glanced up at Jake from underneath thick eyelashes. A deafening silence echoed throughout the world as hundreds of words were expressed without a single hushed whisper. He crossed the space between them and kissed her with the same passion that she had just exerted. His fingers tangled up in her long locks before wandering down to the curve of her back. She, in turn, let her own hands scavenge his chest before tucking them underneath his coat. He gently nipped at the same lip that she had just bitten and she could feel her blood begin to boil as he paused and laid his forehead against her own.

"'I don't know' isn't all I've got. I don't like losing…especially to a vampire. And it pisses me off to know that she chose someone who abandoned her." He pressed his soft lips against her temple and graced the skin with a caring kiss that wasn't as urgent as the intimate embrace from before. Emma's brain suddenly felt the presence of someone else and she jerked her body from the closeness just as Edward leapt from the confines of the forest. His shoulder slammed into the rock hard body of the werewolf, instantly transforming Jacob. The wolf, however, wasn't easily intimidated and he sure as hell didn't appreciate a loathsome vampire smacking him around.


	8. Let's Get Ready To RUMBLLLLE!

Adieu – Let's Get Ready To RUMBLLLLLLE!

* * *

Emma could feel the fire being lit under her dangerous temper. She dug her nails into the collar of Edward's shirt and pushed him towards the forest with all of her strength. It only knocked him a few steps back, but for Emma, that was saying quite a bit. Her hair was tousled around her shoulders and her eyes were deep green warnings of the underlying fury.

"By Hades, Edward, what do you think you're doing?" Her voice was low and guttural, creating an animalistic growl when she spoke. His eyes darted towards the werewolf, readying himself to initiate another fight. But Emma stepped in front of the vampire's line of sight and kept her emerald orbs on him like a cobra about to strike.

"You're doing it again," he said simply. The half breed's gaze turned a little more lethal as she prepared herself for the dagger about to pierce her soul. "You're just letting yourself fall…just like you did with Ethan." Instantly, the witch's hand lashed out and made impact with Edward's jaw. It wasn't the classy open-handed slap that the ladies of old used to insult their men with. It wasn't the embarrassing back-handed hit that abusive individuals used to dominate those lower than them. It was a closed fist of a woman who had heard enough about a man that had been a mistake. Emma was quite aware that Ethan hadn't been the love of her life and that she had wasted many a night crying over a man who didn't even care enough to meet her face to face. But she refused to have that held against her. Blood trickled down her knuckles as she watched the vampire rub at the red imprint her small hand had caused. It didn't do any damage but it was the message behind it. She suddenly turned towards Jake.

"This is what lies in store for you if you keep up the one sided love. You can pull out your still beating heart and place it in front of them, but it will never be enough. They're looking in every other direction and trying to take every other path except the one that will lead them to unconditional love. Save yourself from that, Jake. Or you're going to end up with a bruised heart, a broken ego, and an undeniable thirst for tequila at two in the afternoon." She pushed past Edward and paused a few steps from the forest. "I realize that Ethan wasn't the smartest of choices but he was MY choice and I'm pretty sure that after what happened…YOU of all people would want me to find some kind of happiness." She left the cliff and the two men in complete silence.

Out of all the idiots in the world and fate had to choose to drop Edward Cullen into Emma's lap. The half breed shuffled through the forest in a huff. It had taken decades for her to move on to someone else and the first time she feels the spark, the dumb vampire had to barge in and ruin it. Emma paused and ran a pale hand through her long tresses. Edward wasn't dumb and he wasn't an idiot. In fact, there had been times that Emma wouldn't speak of where the vampire had out-witted her or saved her life on rare occasions. She smiled inwardly.

The first time she had ever laid eyes on him was at social gathering her uncle had prepared in her honor. She had selected the latest piece of fashion and strutted around the floor like she was a queen. But then Bailey led her over to the young man nursing a glass of robust wine and Emma found herself to be a nervous wreck. Back then, Edward had a rosy tint to his cheeks and he would smile more. She curtsied and allowed her uncle to introduce the pair. As a human, he was confident and wasn't easily humiliated. But he was also polite and humble and requested a dance from Emma. She was no longer a queen but the belle of the ball, whisked away into a Cinderella fantasy. The half breed chuckled underneath her breath. How naïve had she been back then? She was absolutely ecstatic when her uncle announced later that year that they were now betrothed and Edward was her husband to be. But, like every other good thing it came to an end. Soon, he faced certain death and fell down the path he was currently walking. Emma no longer looked upon him with child-like admiration. She sighed out loud as she recalled the first day she realized she wasn't normal.

_

* * *

_

_Chicago, 1918_

A shrill scream rang out throughout the Cullen home as Carlisle and Edward rushed to find the source of such a terrible cry. Edward found her first, standing in the claw foot tub with her drenched night dress clinging to her body. Her arms were an ugly red but the brilliant sparkle still shined through. The girl was desperately scrubbing her arms with a rough cloth and choking back panicked cries. Edward stood frozen in the doorway as he took in the scene before him. A small window lit up the bathroom with morning light and the bowl reserved to clean one's face with had been knocked over. Blood had been spilt from where the porcelain shards had been trampled over and Edward was not used to the sight of the one thing that sparked his hunger. He was still learning how to control the urge to feed.

Carlisle squeezed himself in the bathroom and shoved the young vampire out, closing the door just enough to give Emma the impression of privacy. He gently nudged her shoulder to catch her attention before easing the cloth from her grasp. When he was sure that she had calmed down a bit, he rolled her up into his arms and sat down with her in the cool water. Unlike Edward, Emma wasn't given the rules of her nature. One minute she thought she was normal and another she thought she was going to die. And when she didn't, well, she thought it was a miracle. But now, she probably felt like a freak of nature.

"It's not coming off, Carlisle. I don't understand…why isn't this stuff coming off?" Her voice rose in pitch as the panic set in again. She lifted her arm up into the light so that Carlisle could clearly see the diamond like luster permeating off her skin. The blonde vampire smoothed down her hair, soothing her and reminding her of the night she thought she was going to die. He retold the story of how Edward had bitten her and turned her into what she was now: a half breed. Her head jerked back and she quickly slithered from Carlisle's arms. Her body now had a mind of its own as she pounced over the edge of the bathtub and headed towards the door where Edward sat, listening to the scene playing out before him. Her green eyes were wild and she flung herself at the young vampire. "What did you do to me?" Tears were threatening to pour from her sockets as she tore through his shirt with her nails. "I'm a freak now! What the hell did you to me?" Carlisle burst through the doorway and took control of the situation. He held Emma's wrists and over powered her until her energy was spent. She collapsed in his arms as they both tumbled to the wooden floors.

"Don't let her outburst get to you," he said as he cradled her like a forlorn toddler. "You have to understand, Edward, Emma was raised believing she was a human. Granted, she was taught the magic through her mother's relatives. But besides that unique trait, she honestly believed she was human. It's all a little much for her to take in." Edward strained to hold back the waterworks. He had turned this girl into something horrendous. She was no longer the girl he had once been engaged to but a confused woman whose choice had been stripped from her. She had trusted him with her life and he had done this to her. The love her moss colored gaze held was no more and Edward wept with remorse.

_

* * *

_

_Present_

Emma tilted her head back against the rim of the bathtub and let the warm bubbles envelope her worn body. They tickled the small hairs on her arm but the aroma of peppermint was so relaxing that the half breed happily invited the bubbles to keep up their little malicious misdoings. Serene candles calmly lit up the small bathroom and Emma felt as if the day's troubles were being washed off. A light tap on the door wasn't even enough to cause Emma's eyes to open. She calmly invited the person in, knowing full well that it was Edward. She could feel him rustling about, trying to find a place where he could talk to her without viewing her lean legs resting upon the rim or the curve of her breasts barely covered by the blanket of bubbles. She snickered dryly. After so many years, she would think that he would get used to her nakedness for Emma was not shy about her body. She had worked hard to keep her temple up and she wasn't going to hide it from the world because it was the social norm. She only slept clothed in the winter time but that was because she had never grown used to the cold. In the summer time, however, Edward would sneak into her bed for one of their late night conversations and would get quite the surprise. He opted to sit on floor next to the tub with his back facing her.

"I apologize for my actions today." Emma scooped up a handful of bubbles and blew them back into the water.

"You know I hate it whenever you bring up his name. He's in the past – a closed chapter." Edward sighed and leaned his head against the rim of the bathtub.

"No man is ever going to be good enough for you in my eyes." Emma rearranged her body so that her arms were rested on the edge of the tub, keeping her chest covered. She smiled and delivered a quick kiss to Edward's cheek before plopping a small mountain of bubbles on his head. For now, they were friends again.

* * *

That night, Emma tossed and turned within the blankets. The fatigue that had fallen over her earlier that day was unusual and it bothered the witch. She had to admit that she had her days where she wanted nothing more than to lay like a veggie but even breathing had been a chore for her. And then there was also the issue of the heated session that had taken place between Jake and Emma. Now, she wasn't complaining about it. But it was definitely keeping her awake. A light tap echoed throughout her bedroom and she hastily searched for the source of the sound before noticing a small pebble being tossed at the glass target that also served has a window. The witch pushed the blankets down towards her ankles and slid out of bed. Much to her sweet surprise, Jacob Black stood below with a handful of rocks and a smile that was melting her insides. She quietly unlocked the window and grabbed for her pea coat.

Jacob laughed inwardly as he watched the half breed shimmy down the tree. Her body was covered by an old Aerosmith concert shirt and a pair of worn black shorts that hardly relaxed the male mind. Her ivory legs reflected the moonlight and gave the werewolf a view of her body that easily led to tempting thoughts. But once again, she was oblivious to her voluptuous form and shivered within the confines of her coat as she dropped to the ground. For a moment they stood mere inches apart, not sure what to say or do. After all, it wasn't every day that a man who was supposed to be in love with someone else was swapping spit with the epitome of dangerous seduction. Jake grunted in frustration as he realized he was losing the battle of Emma's temptation and closed the short distance between them. His mouth found her own as his hands roamed over body in an attempt to get them acquainted with every curve. The cold shivers were now replaced with goose bumps of passion.

Attraction is a constant boxing match. Punches will be taken and given but no one wants to be the person to actually fall. In the case of attraction, no one wants to be the one to fall in love first. Round one and the bells are signaling the start of the match as Emma's lips tangle into a fierce fight. It's an even match as Jake's fingers get lost in the loose curls of the witch's hair, pushing them back from her face. The second bell sounds and the half breed retaliates by nipping at the wolf's bottom lip. The simple action causes an onslaught of heat as his hands roam the porcelain skin that stretches over her lower back underneath the old shirt. Emma responds by sliding her own hands over the taught muscles that grace the werewolf's abdomen. They pull from each other before it goes any further and retire to their respective corners to regain their wits. Another bell signals as Jake begins to speak.

"We can't do this anymore." It's a swift right hook that makes Emma stumble a bit. Her mossy eyes widen in shock. "I mean…hell; I'm in love with Bella!" Another hook causes the half breed's vision to blur but she quickly shakes it off and rebuttals with her own venomous words.

"Yeah…you're so in love. That's exactly why you were throwing rocks at MY window and making nice with MY mouth." She crosses her arms over her chest as a sign that this fight might actually turn in her favor. Jake, however, is standing strong.

"We can't be together." Haste left jab to the heart! "This was a mistake." A right jab causes Emma's insides to mash up. "I don't…want you." A stiff uppercut sends the vixen down for the count as the final countdown begins. One last bell calls the win as Emma K.O's in the fight of attraction versus love. But what's this? A single hand is up in an attempt to go out with her head held high.

"Liar," she says simply and Jake is sucker-punched into submission as the winner is clearly named champion of the game. With that, the fight is over and Emma climbs back up to her room to sleep off the intense match.


	9. Go Ahead, Rip My Heart Out

**Adieu – Go Ahead, Rip My Heart Out**

* * *

Extracurricular activities meant that Emma had a lot of time to spend with humans. It wasn't completely abnormal and she found that when in the company of a certain social circle, the blood bags weren't totally boring. Today, they had coerced the half breed to attend the pep rally before cheering on the numerous jocks at the varsity basketball game. It didn't sound appealing at all but it was something to do, so Emma agreed and set a time.

The schedule had worked out perfectly. Most of the Cullen clan had other plans and it just worked to their benefit that they wouldn't have to babysit the witch right after school was out. Edward had planned a special anniversary dinner with Bella and the others had a planned social gala to attend alongside Carlisle. The time frame would allow someone to pick up Emma from the school without any worry of protection. The Volturi wouldn't dare abduct the girl in the midst of all her peers.

The night had gone mostly as planned. The vampires and the half breed parted ways as the bell chimed through the loud applause of her peers and the high school band blared out the fight song. The school mascot performed a short routine as the students filtered themselves out of the bleachers. Emma had just picked up her bag when soft drawl penetrated her brain. It wasn't more than an airy whisper, as if someone had pulled her hair away from her neck and blew a cold path of breath from her neck to her ear. Emma scrunched her eyebrows together and ran to catch up with the other girls. When she reached the parking lot, the half breed noticed that most of the Cullen cars had already pulled away in a loud screech in an effort to go home and change for the big night. Unfortunately, social status was something Carlisle had to keep up in order to live a semi-normal life. And being the publicly known adoptive father of so many children, he seemed to draw the attention of the bigger names within Forks.

"Emma! Let's go! Bethany already bought the tickets!" Emma nodded and glanced back once more in hopes of spotting her safety net but found nothing but a sea of rival colors flooding the pavement.

The game had been pretty intense and their school won by a shocking second half that included absurd fouls and an epic three point shot performed by the star athlete. The crowd had gone absolutely wild as the school colors were tossed up into the air via tissue paper confetti and the school song was chanted proudly. It was during the celebration that the airy whisper returned again, sending a deathly chill down Emma's spine. She searched the bleachers for the owner of the velvety drawl haunting her mind but found no one. She wrote it off as paranoia and returned to the excitement of their homecoming win.

After the game, Emma denied the offered rides home with the explanation that someone was going to be picking her up any moment now. Thirty minutes slowly passed as the players began to shuffle out for a night of celebration. Again, a few of the players asked if Emma needed a ride but she declined and sent another text message to Carlisle's phone.

_

* * *

_

_Meanwhile…_

Carlisle felt the vibration of another text message being sent to his phone as he made his way towards the front doors. A large man blocked his only exit and pushed a hand to the receiver in his ear. He gently nudged the doctor back towards the crowd.

"I'm sorry sir but there was domestic threat made on your family and we can't let anyone leave until the grounds are secured by the authorities." The elder vampire shared a worried look with his adoptive children as the doors were locked, keeping them from getting to Emma. Danger was amidst them.

_

* * *

_

_Back at the school…_

Emma sighed heavily and checked her clock once again. The last vehicle had just pulled away with a promise that they would see the witch Monday. As a chilled gust wind fluttered throughout the parking lot, Emma wondered if that was true or not. Something…something she couldn't quite put her finger on, was putting her at unease. The wind picked up a bit and the half breed decided she would just walk home, laying out traps of magic behind her. She would start by creating a locked door on the outskirts of the forest, revealing anyone who could be following her.

Emma had just set the last trap, creating an alternate scent leading away from her own path when the presence of the vampires hit her. The thoughts of five different blood suckers traveled through the woman's mind and they were heading straight for her. Her lean legs suddenly matched the beat of her heart and she ran; ran from imprisonment. The shrubs underneath her feet crumpled as they pounded against the worn path. A small cloud smoke escaped her mouth as her lungs clawed at her body for the relief of air. In the distance, Emma could hear the sounds of sticks cracking and the earth trembling in fear at the entrance of the pack of Volturi hunters. Two of the demons set forth following a perfect replica of the witch in the opposite direction while one other followed the smell of her lavender and cinnamon perfume. It would lead him towards the west of town and straight into the wolf territory. Emma secretly hoped that Jake and the others would take care of him. That only left the two vampires tracking her and her legs once again burned with the adrenaline of outrunning her hunters.

Night was upon the witch as a full moon hovered over her form and the stars teased her from the perch in the sky. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had in her lifetime and her chest felt like it was about to tear open and introduce the art of breathing. The smell of the ocean suddenly flooded Emma's nostrils and she halted just before the edge of a cliff came into view.

"What's wrong little bird?" The eerily calm voice of Jane echoed throughout the space between her and Emma. Her petite form emerged from the shadows followed by another man cloaked in darkness, keeping his face turned away from both women. Emma's arms came up in surrender and she smiled sarcastically.

"You got me." Two more figures stepped up to the plate and Emma felt the weight of defeat. She was outnumbered and tired of running. But Emma wasn't the kind of girl to be cornered like a defenseless animal, either. She lashed forward, bracing herself for an attack. Jane pulled a single fist out in front of her and uncurled it slowly, revealing a light blue powder. With the utmost grace, she blew the soft substance into Emma's line of vision. For a moment, her eyes were fine but soon her sight blurred and a stinging sensation brought her to her knees. She rubbed and rubbed but it only seemed to make the pain worse. The witch's concentration was broken and she could feel her magical traps diminishing.

_"Emma…cherie…don't step back."_ The Southern drawl was evident and the sweet mixture of kindness and deceit was caught at once. Emma jerked when she heard the voice and tried to shake him and the pain from her body. Her foot slid back and the ground gave out a bit. The waves could be heard down below crashing against the solid rock in a never-ending battle of strength. Confusion set in and Emma began to panic. She was cornered and yet none of the hunters were attacking her. _"Emma…please."_ The half breed grinned as Ethan's voice poured into her brain. There was nowhere to go now except…

Emma smiled sweetly through a tear streaked face and kissed her middle finger in its bold salute before faking an attack. She abruptly turned and leapt from the cliff side, her arms gracefully extended in a sparrow-like pose. With the poise of a fine dancer, she dived into the hands of the ocean. Ethan fell to his knees at the edge and scanned the waves for the body of the girl he once loved. A few feet out, he finally spotted her, back stroking her way down the coat with the same smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Jane walked calmly up behind him.

"Take the others and meet her at the beach." Ethan turned his head to meet her gaze and shook his head.

"Emma knows this land like the back of her head. She's in constant communication with it and she'll know which places she can go." Jane tugged at the lengthy blonde locks and pulled his head back until his jugular was exposed.

"Do you doubt the abilities of the hunters?" The southern man shook his head and went to find the others.

Within the Pacific, Emma watched the hunters scatter from the cliff. She let the salt water swallow her up and lead her to a safe place. Two hours later, Emma was scraping the sand and dragging her ragged body up to dry land. She lazily rolled to her back and let her lungs catch up with the rest of her.

"Mrs. Pacific…you're a cold, hard bitch." She gratefully thanked her lucky stars that the only obstacle she had to face now was the icy temperatures surrounding her. Just as she sighed contentedly, a light flurry of snow began to nip at her wet figure. "Are you kidding me?" She pulled her body into a standing fixture and cursed the day snow ever fell in this state.

* * *

By the time Emma had reached the outskirts of town, her hair was matted down to her skull and a light frost covered her usually lustrous locks. Her pale skin was now deathly looking and she could feel her wisdom teeth chattering to an unusual beat. She could no longer feel her legs but she somehow knew they were moving. Her body ached and her chapped lips were cracking. A good inch of snow had fallen amongst her and she prayed that she would run into people soon.

And then she felt it. She felt the bright aura of her longtime friend as she dropped to her knees. Her energy had left her long ago but Emma somehow found the strength to pull herself up the small hill and to the deserted grassy knoll across the street from the diner Edward was parked at. Sure enough, Emma spotted the couple exiting the establishment and she extended her arm in hopes that the vampire would notice her or feel her presence. Her voice tried to creep out but nothing escaped and tears welled up as she watched Edward drive off with Bella in tow. The snow underneath her began to give out and she desperately tried to cling to something but failed miserably. Her tired body tumbled down the hill and made impact with a tree at the bottom. Emma groaned and lifted herself up into a sitting position. The snow began to fall harder as she curled up against the tree. Was this the end of it? THIS was her final chapter? With such a grand escape, Emma had hoped that her life would be extended a bit. But it seemed that this was what fate had in store for her: an interpretation of a Popsicle. She drifted off into a soft sleep with the expectation that this was going to be her grave.

Most girls wish for the knight in shining armor but Emma had never expected her werewolf in shining fur to find her that night. But a warm nudge pulled her from her cold sleep. She tried to focus on the shape in front of her but it seemed that even her eyes were frozen. Two masculine fingers checked her pulse and she lightly grabbed at the wrist they belonged to.

"Emma? What the hell happened to you?" She simpered to the best of her abilities as Jacob Black's voice entered her mind.

"You…" she cleared her throat as her vocal chords cracked. "You said…you didn't…want me." Jacob eagerly scooped her up into his arms.


	10. Devil May Care

**Adieu – Devil May Care**

* * *

Billy Black was a lot of things. He was a man of great wisdom. He had once told his son that the greatest fishing hole was south of the beach but only during the summer. Jake hadn't listened and didn't catch a single fish that season. He was a man of great courage. He had once jumped into a freezing lake to pull out a friend of his son's, even though his legs had begun to fail him. But most importantly, he was a man of great compassion. So when Jacob came barreling in through the door carrying a very fragile, very frozen young woman, he didn't think twice about helping her. He motioned for his son to lay her on his bed and to fetch some warm water, a few select herbs from the cabinet, and lots of blankets.

When the young werewolf returned, a fire had already been made and a light crackling sound echoed throughout the cabin. Billy drenched a few pieces of cloth and began to melt away the ice that framed her face. Afterwards, he mixed the rest of the steaming water with some crushed herbs. This would help any kind of pain later on. He then faced his wheelchair so that he his back was towards the pale girl.

"Jacob, this next part is very important. She is going to need body warmth to bring her temperature back up. You need to strip her down and cover her with these blankets. Once you do that, I'll give you the rest of the instructions. The older Native American watched his son's cheek become ablaze with a crimson blush. He knew that his son was attracted to the female laying behind him but now was not the time for shyness.

Jacob took care in removing Emma's clothing. They were frozen solid and he had to crack them a bit to get them to peel from her still moist skin. Her entire body consisted of bluish hues that would merge into a deathly white. Her usually blossom pink lips were cracked and bleeding slightly from the force of the bitter cold. He had managed to get her stripped down to her underwear and when he turned to his father; he shook his head and explained that despite the discomfort of both males, it had to be done. So Jacob inhaled deeply as he removed the ebony lace of her bra and panties. If it hadn't been a situation of life and death, he would've been able to admire her without the embarrassment. He hastily wrapped her in the flannel blankets and returned to his father's side. Billy grinned inwardly as he spoke the next set of directions to Jake.

"Now…you're not going to like this next part." The canine rolled his eyes. What could be worse than undressing a beautiful woman and knowing that if she woke up and found you gazing at her body she would possibly decapitate you? "You're going to have to undress as well and cradle her body. Skin to skin warmth is the best solution for hypothermia." He watched the young man's jaw drop at least ten feet. "Jacob, I wouldn't tell you this unless I trusted your judgment and your morals. Now is not the time to be bashful. This girl's life depends on it." The teenager shot his father a look.

"You know she's half vampire. She could heal herself you know." Billy smiled and tossed another log onto the fire.

"Jake…she's half human too. Doesn't she deserve a chance to experience the human side of life?" He thought back to what she had said about her other half. She was something like a human. He also thought about the afternoon they had spent together and it didn't take long for him to know that he wanted another day like that - with her. He quickly shrugged off his clothes and eased in beside her, his arms snaking around her shoulders and pulling her close to him.

"Now what?" Billy shrugged.

"We wait. We wait for her heat to come back and we wait for the color to return to her cheeks. We wait for her to decide whether or not she wants to live." He nodded to his son as if the simple gesture said more than all the words in the dictionary and then he turned his wheelchair around and left the room.

_

* * *

_

_Italy, 1965_

Emma's devil-may-care attitude had gotten her into trouble once again. The Volturi had summoned her to Italy in hopes that she would join them willingly and take part in their guinea pig experiments. Her Uncle Bailey and Carlisle had brought her to Europe in case they needed a Plan B. But so far, they hadn't come screaming out of the old building and Emma was content in the shade of a worn building surrounded by the townspeople. After an hour or so had passed, the villagers had meshed together and were making their way down to the local Catholic church at the end of town just as Bailey came up to Emma.

"Everything go ok?" He nodded and smiled nervously before tugging on her blouse.

"We have to go now, poppet," he said in his distinguished British accent. Emma always secretly wondered if her father had had the same accent. Her last memory of him carried his voice with an American twang. Bailey's long black pony tail snaked over his shoulder as he spoke. Carlisle was behind him, his eyes depicting a fear that Emma couldn't place. They had just begun to walk towards their vehicle when a movement was caught out of Emma's peripheral vision. Storm clouds gathered above the trio as a figure stepped out onto the balcony. Dressed in black and shrouded in the security of the cloudy sky stood Ethan, his once beautifully serene blue eyes an unmistaken crimson. He stared at her from across the cobblestone road, grinning as a realization unfolded. The Volturi had found her because someone had tipped them off; someone who knew Emma well and where she would go to lose herself. The price he asked for in return for the information provided was immortality – a gift he had been envious of when he learned about Emma. She had tried to explain to him that she wasn't immortal, her life was just extended. So, that was all she was worth to him? Emma could feel her blood bubble as her anger began to scorch her insides. Her fist knotted up into a tight ball and a red orb of energy began to generate around her hand. Her mossy eyes seemed to turn an endless black with the negative energy she was feeling inside. They snapped back to their original green hue and the orb dissipated as Bailey grabbed her bicep.

"He's not worth it, Poppet. Let's leave this place." Emma sent another dagger filled glare at Ethan and mentally vowed that no other man would ever deceive her again.

_

* * *

_

_Present_

Jake stirred from his deep sleep as the woman in his arms shuffled about. Her finely manicured eyebrows scrunched together as if she were frustrated by the dreams playing out in her brain. He wondered what she was dreaming about and hoped that his face wasn't associated to the look she was giving off. He tucked a wild curl behind her ear and rested his chin atop her head. The ice had long melted away and the fever that had followed was nonexistent. Emma was going to make a full recovery from the attack that Mother Nature bestowed upon her. He quietly retreated from the protection of the blankets and set forth to dressing himself as well as the half breed. He quickly found a clean flannel shirt nestled in his closet and was pleased to know that it covered all the parts that Emma probably wouldn't want shown. He had just buttoned the last hole in his own shirt when he heard the small whimper of a worn woman waking up. She shielded her eyes from the light entering the bedroom, although there was no sun sneaking in today. She then slowly raised herself up into a sitting position and recalled the events from last night.

"What am I doing here," she asked through a stifled yawn. Jake stretched out beside her on the mattress and tucked his arms behind his head.

"You almost froze to death last night. Bringing you here was the only thing I could think of at the time." Emma nodded her understanding. She then noticed what she was wearing. Pulling at the fabric, she sent Jake a chilled look.

"Get a nice peep show?" The half breed laughed when the usually calm werewolf jumped three feet into the air. He refused to make eye contact as he explained the circumstances that led up to her nakedness. Emma's eyes widened at the thought of Billy Black seeing her naked.

"He didn't look, I swear. My dad's a lot of things but a pervert isn't one of them." She sighed in relief and settled back into the sheets and rolled over onto her stomach, her loose hair falling over her shoulder and creating a delicious scene before Jake. He gulped and remembered that he had told her the opposite of what he was feeling. Course, he didn't actually know how he felt.

Emma felt like death had washed over her. The night before held a lot of questions that still needed to be answered but she was grateful for even being alive. Ethan's appearance had made her uneasy but his worried tone was downright unnerving. And then there was the heart breaking realization that Edward hadn't heard her pleas for help. No had heard her and yet, here was this wonderful man beside her retelling the story of her rescue. Not only was he handsome, he was chivalrous too! He had just gotten to the part where he rattling over the fact that body warmth was the best medicine for hypothermia and that he wasn't undressing her to cop a feel or steal a look – not that she wasn't attractive or anything, but at the time her life was at stake and…

"Thank you." He broke from his story as the simple statement dug into his chest. She was staring at him from underneath the curtain of her hair, her Kelley green eyes crinkling in the corners and hinting at a smile. She then situated herself at his side and laid her head down on his broad chest. Jacob Black was a lot of things…but he was no monster.

* * *

Sam had come later in the day and picked up Billy to go talk to Carlisle. Jake refused to leave Emma there by herself in fear that the hunters would return for her. She tried to tell him that he would be easily outnumbered but his ego claimed otherwise. So, he opted to make lunch and after numerous clangs and bangs, he emerged with two bowls of piping hot soup complete with a platter of saltine crackers. Emma let him help her to a nearby chair and she eagerly slurped up the wonderful concoction, not realizing how hungry she actually was. When the bowls were empty, Jake returned the blankets to Emma's body. Nestled in a cocoon of cotton while sitting in the chair, the couple struck up casual conversation.

"How exactly did you find me?" The witch curled her knees up to her chest and peeked at the werewolf over her knees. Jake shrugged and propped his legs up on a nearby foot stool.

"I'm not sure. One minute it's quiet and the next, my head is filled with your terrified voice." Emma let a single eyebrow rise up in a questioning manner. She didn't recall ever yelling out, but she did send out a mental signal to Edward. The vampire, however, didn't respond.

"I tried to send a mental message to Edward but…how did you get it instead?" Again, the wolf shrugged. He was as confused about his actions as she was.

"Who's Ethan?" Emma's muscles tensed up at the sound of the Southerner's name. Granted, they weren't at the cliff and technically Emma didn't have to tell him the truth but…

"He's an ex. I'm a bit bitter over that specific breakup…or lack thereof." Jake's silence urged her to continue. She sighed as she gave in. "Ethan was the love of my life – or so I thought. Things were going great and we were planning to get married at one point. And then…something happened. He just up and disappeared one day. There was no note explaining his actions or the cause of his disappearance. But several years later, I see him again. Only this time, he's a vampire. He's also the reason the Volturi hunters found me back in the sixties. He sold me out to gain immortality." Jacob shifted in his seat. Emma was keeping the story brief and he figured it was for the best. She didn't seem like the kind of woman to rehash the gory details.

"How do you know it was him that sold you out?" Emma smiled dryly.

"My uncle used to take me to France for vacations from time to time and he kept a house in the middle of a lush lavender field. It was in the middle of nowhere but it was quite possibly one of my favorite places in the world. Nobody else knew about it. It was the place that Ethan and I were going to honeymoon at. My uncle didn't even know about it. That's where they found me." Jake decided he had taken the subject to its extent and moved on to another.

"Where is your uncle?" Emma's cracked smile faded as her mind wandered into its own memory bank.

"He passed away shortly after the Ethan incident."

"What happened?" Emma's eyes slowly wandered up Jake's face until she was looking his square in the eye.

"His brother killed him."


	11. Modern Mozart

**Adieu – Modern Mozart**

* * *

The subject of Emma's uncle wasn't brought up again. The memories of the death of her uncle seemed to disturb her more than the topic of Ethan. Jake quickly moved on to something lighter just as a black Mercedes pulled into the dirt drive way. Emma was on her feet as she sensed Carlisle making his way up the porch and she stared at the doorway like a lonely puppy. The elder vampire maneuvered himself into the bedroom that the witch was housed in and set a leather suitcase down in front of her, barely missing her toes. Her eyebrows rose at the new development.

"You want me to _what_?" Emma's voice was shrill with the excitement from Carlisle's idea.

"We've all agreed that you would be much safer here with Billy and Jake and the rest of the pack." In all the years that Emma had known Carlisle, she had never known him to be so eager to let her stay with a man that looked like Jacob Black. In fact, Carlisle Cullen had despised Ethan and disowned her for all of five minutes before apologizing. The amend was only half hearted for the Cajun man had received a look that the very depths of Hades could not produce.

"Are you mental?" The half breed wasn't trying to insult the man but she didn't understand the logic behind his decision. Jake seemed to be just as surprised when Sam and Billy came in shortly thereafter and confirmed the agreement. Carlisle snapped his fingers in front of Emma to catch her attention once again. His voice was low, which always meant that something serious was going on.

"Emma, the attack made on you was planned out. Someone had made a threat at the party last night which caused for all of us to be locked inside for hours. It gave the Volturi hunters the perfect window of opportunity to seize you. We can't afford another attack like that. Until I find out what they're up to, you're safest here amongst Jake and his pack." He stood up to shake hands with the men surrounding him as Emma finally spoke up.

"I could just run again, Carlisle. It would throw them off." He smiled sadly at the woman he had helped raise through the years.

"It's time to end this. No more running." Something was bothering the half breed and she knew she had to tell her adoptive father.

"Carlisle…last night…something was different about the attack. They had me cornered but none of the hunters came at me. It's like they were waiting for something. It's a little cliché, but I think they had something else up their sleeves." Carlisle nodded his understanding.

"I'll look into it. Stay alert and keep safe. I'll stay in contact." Emma stared at the vampire. This was the man who had taken her in when news of her uncle's death caught up to her. He was the one who promised her father that nothing bad would ever come to her as long as he could help it. This was the man who had saved her ass on numerous occasions and she didn't have to think twice about crossing the empty space between them and embracing him with a giant hug. He gently kissed her on the forehead, which he had done since she was a little girl, and hid his tears that were threatening to fall. All of the Cullen children had come under his protection as young adults but he was given the privilege to watch Emma grow into the woman she was now. He hastily said his goodbyes and left the Black household.

During the next week or so, Emma adjusted to life under Billy Black's roof. She would help out with chores without being told and politely asked if she could cook dinner for them on weeknights. It was something she had done since she had been old enough to read recipes and although she claimed she was just a modest chef, Jacob soon learned that it was the understatement of the century. She introduced foods of the Southern coast into Billy's kitchen and neither Jake nor his father complained. When she entered the kitchen, a symphony began. It started on Monday with a dazzling performance that consisted of boiled Cajun crawfish with a medley of steamed potatoes. On Tuesday, she bedazzled them with shrimp gumbo and homemade cornbread. Smells of crawfish etouffee and fresh French bread made Jake weak in the knees when he walked through the front door on Wednesday. Thursday was greeted with a small meal of red beans and rice. And on Friday, a special package was delivered from one of the members of the 'Hello There' house band who just happened to have connections to some of the best frog's legs north of New Orleans. Both Billy and Jake were reluctant to try the eccentric food but Emma assured them that it tasted like chicken. It must have been an acquired taste. The weekend was spent exploring the world of Tex-mex as Emma recalled her days living in San Antonio. While munching on a tostada chip covered in homemade salsa one night, Billy turned to Jacob and exclaimed, "I could get used to this cooking. Not so much the frogs…but everything else? Let's just say I would die a happy man if I had this as my last meal." When it came to food, Emma was the modern Mozart of the culinary world.

Every night, Jake would convene with the rest of the pack and scour the woods for signs of the Volturi hunters. Sometimes Emma would entertain Billy with a game of cards and share stories with the Native American. He, in turn, would share embarrassing memories of Jake that included the usual baby pictures. They would always be put up before the wolf returned and Emma would snicker under her breath as she would try to have a serious conversation with him. As the weeks turned into a full month, the half breed found that she enjoyed living with the Black family and she silently hoped that it would never end.

On the last weekend of the month, Billy would meet up with Bella's father and have their own down time. Sometimes it meant camping with the included fishing expeditions, and other times it meant a weekend of football complete with beer and the occasional cookout. A member of the Cullen clan would always watch over them and keep in constant contact with Edward in case of emergency.

On this particular weekend, Emma felt a stir of change. It was something that happened all the time and she usually had it under control but she wasn't quite sure of herself today. Like every other human girl on the planet, Emma had hormones. However, they were elevated because of other attributions in her gene makeup. She figured that it would hit later that night and went ahead with her plans anyway which consisted of a little scavenger hunt throughout Jake's home.

Jake, on the other hand, had just stepped out of the shower when he noticed that the witch wasn't in the house. It didn't take much these days for the werewolf to notice if Emma wasn't within a 10 foot radius. He quickly dressed and set forth to finding the little she-devil. He had just turned the corner on his long porch when he noticed the half breed sitting underneath a large tree wearing a white sundress. Her long hair was pulled up in to a loose bun even though the air was still chilly and the clouds threatened of another snow fall. But Emma was radiant and walked barefoot through the grass towards Jake as if it were spring. She calmly grabbed his hand and led him towards a blanket laid out with numerous fruits and foods.

"A picnic?" He didn't think of Emma as the romantic picnic in the front yard type but he was willing to humor her as she shot him a warning glance glazed with a smile from over her bare shoulder.

"It's a thank you lunch. It's my way of saying that I appreciated you putting up with me."

The couple ate for a bit as they cracked a few jokes and warmed their meal with fond stories. Jake learned that Emma was a worldly woman who had vacationed France when her life was semi-normal and traveled all over the United States while on the run. He also learned that her areas of living were limited since her skin held an uncanny glow.

"I tried living in Hawaii at one point and had most of my neighbors convinced that the glow was from a special blend of suntan oil. But it was more work than I thought it was worth so I moved back to the west coast and tried to stay in the less sunny parts of the world." Her favorite place had been Ireland since that was her mother's homeland. Jake retold the stories he knew of his own mom before digging into a bowl of vanilla yogurt with a slice of apple. The byproduct of the indulgence was a large glop of the creamy snack taking residence on the corner of the wolf's mouth. Emma giggled and motioned for him to wipe his mouth to which he missed entirely. Finally, the witch used her thumb to wipe it off and continued on with the conversation at hand. Unsettled by the action, Jacob interrupted her.

"Emma, about that night I told you all that stuff…" Emma shook her head and fished for another slice of apple.

"It's forgotten, Mr. Black." Truth be told, Emma had relived that night over and over again in her head. It wasn't forgotten but she didn't want it to become an issue either. It was enough for right now for her to just sit with the man beside her and eat their picnic.

"It was a lie, Emma. Most of it was, anyway." She figured that he was still confused over his feelings for Bella and she was okay with that. It wasn't imperative at the moment that he had to make a choice between her and the human so why force it from him? She shushed him with her index finger and grinned, signaling that at this moment in time, he should be content and just eat his apples.

* * *

Two of his fellow wolves came by later that evening just as Emma's hormones kicked in. It didn't help that Jake had thrown on a shirt that accentuated his lean muscles or that he smelled heavenly. But the heat was already ablaze when the werewolf say down next to the vixen. He surfed the television for a bit before submitting the idea of bed. Emma's clover colored eyes thinned into small slits as she became a bit braver.

"Bed sounds absolutely wonderful. But there's a tiny little problem. We have company and I happen to sleep naked." Everyone else's jaw dropped except Jake's, who saw right through the charade. He crossed his arms over his chest in a daring manner and grinned defiantly. An unspoken battle began between the duo as Emma's smirk grew larger until she finally turned to head towards the bedroom. A few moments later, she emerged with nothing on as far as the eye could see except a red kimono style robe. She sat down on the far side of the couch and crossed her smooth legs as if that were the period to the end of a very seductive sentence. The other two males didn't hesitate to make their way over to the same couch, only to have Jake's arm stop them as he took up residence beside the witch.

Every so often, Emma would uncross her legs and shift positions to get more comfortable in a very Sharon Stone-esque style. The younger of the men on the couch would lean forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of something they hadn't seen before. But Jake's head would always block their view and after a death glare was delivered, the boys would go back to their original place. Emma tried to not giggle as Jacob Black's jealousy rained over the group.

"You've made your point, Emma." His voice was low and the half breed through she heard the wonderful rumble of a growl from deep inside the man. She lightly tapped her fingernails on her thigh and turned to look at the wolf.

"You were the one who didn't believe me…"

"Go put some clothes on." His chocolate colored eyes were almost pleading with her.

"No," she said sternly. He then stood and slipped from her sight. Before she knew what was happening, an unmarked DVD case was hanging in front of her face.

"It's 'Zombie Apocalypse'." Emma eyes narrowed as she contemplated the temptation swinging in front of her. A good horror movie was something hard to come by these days and the specific title at hand was one she had wanted to see. But a question was laid before her: would she rather continue to make Jake a steaming pile of green eyed jealousy, or watch mediocre zombies ravage Los Angeles? "It's the British version." Her mind was made up for her as she jumped to her feet and scavenged her bags for her more modest pajamas. An American horror movie made with talent and a gift for catching gore at its best was one thing, but a British zombie movie was a diamond in the rough.

* * *

After an hour and a half of watching animated corpses decapitate stupid actors and feasting upon their insides, Jake called it a night. He said his goodbyes to his friends and locked the door behind them. When he turned, he found a still wide awake Emma perched on the back of the couch like a singing canary contemplating its next song. Her loose braid was hanging over her shoulder and a few wisps of hair were flowing freely, creating a natural beauty about her. Jake couldn't deny that Emma was an attractive woman but she was half vampire which made her an enemy by definition. She slid down the furniture until her feet made contact with the floor and she slinked towards the werewolf as if she were stalking her prey. She nonchalantly traced her collar bone with her finger tips and let them fall down to her hips as she reached Jacob Black.

"Why don't we have our own slumber party," she asked as her index finger traveled an invisible path down his stomach. He visibly gulped as the aura around them changed. He grabbed her wrist and led her back to her bedroom. She giggled incredulously as he shut the door behind them. Emma sat on her knees upon the mattress and reached for the edges of his shirt. Jake quickly shook her off, not quite understanding what was going on with her personality change.

"What's gotten into you, Emma?" She smiled devilishly and tried to tug at the belt buckle that hung over the wolf's jeans.

"You, as soon as I get these jeans off of you." He pushed her hands away and stood by the old chest of drawers, his eyes searching for the Emma he knew inside of the succubus at hand. He feared that if he sat down, then the vixen would straddle his lap and have her way with him.


End file.
